The Nigerian government says it is increasing its Transmission Company (TCN) wheeling capacity by over 1000 Megawatts to boost electricity supply.
Minister of Power, Mr. Abubakar Aliyu, said this while inspecting the Abuja Ring Project being executed by TCN in Abuja.
According to him, the projects which are six in number were made up of lines and substations.
”The project is about six and they are over 90 percent completed and hope to be completed in November, or December. The contractor is chasing the completion date and when completed it will increase the power supply in Abuja and environ.
”This project is funded by a loan of 170 million dollars from the French Development Agency (AFD) and started by President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration in 2018 in the quest to increase the capacity of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI),” he said.
The minister said that the projects consist of a new substation in Dawaki, Gwarinpa, a New Apo substation and an Old Apo existing substation amongst others.
According to him, there has been a 132 Kilo Volt (KV) line existing from Suleja to Katampe which initially was at Kubwa and the new substation would give Dawaki and environ more electricity as they have been depending on Kubwa.
He said that a platform had been built at Old Apo Substation to receive a 60 Mega Volt Ampree transformer from the Siemens Power Project and that in a couple of days, it will be installed.
”The new Apo substation is a new one and is receiving a 330 KVA line from Nasarawa to boost supply in Abuja and environ,” he said.
The minister while speaking on the Siemens Power Project, said that some engineers would be going to France before the end of the month to do a factory test on some transformers.
Some of the transformers were already in the country and some are on the high sea.
”The mobile substation with so many components will start coming in January, 2023 as they are being tested along with other transformers”. The Minister added
He appealed to Nigerians to be patient as the government is doing a lot to improve the power supply.
The Managing Director of TCN, Mr. Sule Abdulaziz, Management Staff of the Ministry of Power and TCN inspected the project with the minister.
Olusola Akintonde
