THE Federal Government’s grid expansion project is targeting additional 204 megawatts (mw) of electricity to boost power supply in Ekiti State.
The Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, confirmed this in a statement issued by the General Manager, Public Affairs, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Ndidi Mbah, on Wednesday, August 10, 2022 in Abuja.
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Abubakar said the Federal Government had begun the construction of a 132-kilovolt transmission line, a 2X60 megavolt ampere (mva) transmission sub-station, and a switching station in the state to raise the capacity by 204mw.
The minister, who spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony in Ado Ekiti, said the project consisted of a 50km stretch of 132kv transmission line from Ikere (Ado Ekiti), with a turn in-turn out at Ijesa Isu, which terminates at Ilupeju Ekiti.
Aliyu, represented by the Managing Director of the TCN, Sule Abdulaziz, said the project also had a 2X60mva, 132/33kv transmission sub-station with four line-bays at Ijesa Isu Ekiti with a switching station at Ikere (Ado Ekiti).
”For TCN, this is a very strategic project and we believe it will have massive impact on bulk power transmission in Ekiti and environs.
“The project is part of the many projects being undertaken by the Transmission Company of Nigeria in pursuit of its grid expansion programme, which is in line with Mr. President’s mandate for the expansion of the power sector for sustainable development,” he said.
The minister added that in various transmission regions nationwide, TCN was equally executing sub-stations and line projects that were at various stages of execution.
”’These are clear indications that the Federal Government is not relenting in its determination to ensure that the nation’s power sector receives the desired boost.
“For the residents of Ekiti State and its environs, the additional 204mv capacity to the grid means that more bulk supply will be readily available for offtake by the Benin DisCo for its customers in Ekiti and environs.
”The sub-station project will also take care of suppressed load in this axis and relieve the Ado-Ekiti sub-station, which has been overburdened, to ensure a more reliable electricity supply to the people of Ekiti,” he said.
Aliyu called on Ekiti residents to support government’s efforts against vandalism of power facilities.
“We must demonstrate our collective responsibility towards preserving the nation’s power equipment in and around our communities so that the government can concentrate on its grid expansion initiative instead of wasting funds replacing vandalized power infrastructure,” he said.
Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State remarked that the state government had received only 26mv of electricity from the national grid.
Fayemi, represented by his Deputy, Bisi Egbeyemi, said the level of electricity supply was worrisome and grossly inadequate, going by the energy need of the population of the state, which was estimated at 150mw in 2014.
”Beyond this intolerable level, the quality of the electricity supply is grossly below standard due to non-availability of adequate 132/33kv transmission line and the associated equipment that can help improve the quality of power to be delivered to our people, especially those in the interior and the rural areas,” Fayemi said.
According to him, although the project was being executed by the Federal Government, it would, when completed, complement the state government’s plan of improving the quality of energy supply to the 16 local government areas of the state.
Harrison Edeh is a journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, always determined to drive advocacy for good governance through holding public officials and businesses accountable.