Azura conducted a comprehensive study of various locations in Nigeria before deciding to build a plant in the North Eastern outskirts of Benin City. The main reasons why this location was chosen were:
- Benin is one of Nigeria’s key nodal points for evacuation with the city located within a radius of multiple high voltage transmission interconnections. Azura will evacuate its power through the adjacent Benin North Substation.
- The project site is located only 1km from the path of the country’s main gas trunkline, the Escravos Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS). Compared to building a dedicated pipeline, this means that significantly less capital and time is needed to connect the gas required to the power station. Furthermore, the capacity of the ELPS pipeline is being doubled from 1 billion scfd to 2 billion scfd through the addition of a second (twinned) gas pipeline, which means there will be sufficient capacity to transport fuel for Phase 2 of the project.
- The site is located in close proximity to Koko Port, which has a proven capacity to handle the inward shipment of the heavy equipment required at the site.
- There is good road access directly to the site and excellent road access between Koko Port and the site with bridges that have a proven capacity to withstand the transportation of heavy equipment.
- From an environmental and social perspective, there is minimum disruption to local communities and the environment resulting from both the actual site location and the routing of the second ELPS pipeline (which is using the same ‘rights of way’ as the existing ELPS pipeline).
- From a security perspective, over the past two decades Edo State has been less exposed to acts of civil disturbance than the other major oil and gas producing states in the Federation, providing a secure working environment for both local and international workers.