The Federal Executive Council has approved a total sum of $53.1 million for the procurement and installation of electricity conductors that will help boost the power supply in the country.
Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, disclosed this while briefing State House Correspondents at the end of Wednesday’s meeting of the Council, chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said when installed, the conductors will help address the challenge of constant tripping of circuit breakers due to the overloading of electricity lines.
The Minister also revealed the cost of the conductors also includes a Naira component of N2.1 billion.
“The total amount for these four components of conductors is $53,131, 128.93 plus an onshore component of N2, 127, 068, 626. 45,” he said.
He said the new conductors would be used to upgrade existing power lines, with the aim of enhancing their efficiency.
“These are existing lines which are being upgraded. The wires will be removed and new ones put in place and the difference is that the new ones will be more efficient because they carry more load than the old ones.
“They will reduce sagging because once the wires are aged, they will sag and they become vulnerable and heavier. So, these ones are lighter and can carry more electricity so it will improve efficiency and address the challenges of constant tripping of the breakers due to the overloading of these lines will be tremendously reduced,” he explained.
Aliyu listed the four components of the contract to include 173-kilometre Kubotso- Hadeja, line; 105-kilometre Kumbotso-Kankiya line; 90-kilometre Benin-Irrua line; 72-kilometre Irrua-Okpella; 48kilometre Okpella-Okenne, 58-kilometre Okenna-Ajaokuta lines and 394-kilometre Gombe-Biu-Damboa-Maiduguri line.
The Power Minister also disclosed that Council approved a N1.46 billion contract for the procurement of 20 transformers ratio analysers for the Transmission Company of Nigeria.
PIAK
