FEC Approves Power Supply Projects Worth N5.1 Billion

By Tolulope Oke

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a sum of $22 million (N5.1 billion) to shore up projects for power supply across the country.

NAN disclosed that the projects were designed to boost the Transmission Company of Nigeria’s (TCN) capabilities and secure the nation’s electricity supply.

Minister of Power Abubakar Aliyu briefed State House reporters that two memos were submitted to the council, both of which were approved. In the first memo, the council approved the award of a contract for the design, supply, and installation of a 1x60MBA, 13233 KV transmission substation with a corresponding 4132 KV line bay extension at the Hong local government and Adamawa in the amount of N6.5 billion.

According to Aliyu, at the current CBN exchange rate and 7.5% VAT, the offshore is 6.9 million dollars and the onshore is N3.3 billion and is to be delivered in 24 months.

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He explained the aim is to increase the supply capacity in that region, and it will have an impact on many towns and villages because a significant local government headquarters is located there.

The second memo, according to the minister, also called for purchasing power transformers and related spare parts so that TCN could be deployed to six different places.

“One is to Aiyede in Oyo; Offshore component 1.8 billion dollars, the onshore is N98 million.

`The second one is Gusau in Zamfara; the third one is Kankia in Katsina state; the next one is Minna, Niger; then the fifth one is to Okearo in Ogun.

“The sixth one is in Damaturu, Yobe; this one is very peculiar because as you may be aware, for over one year, Maiduguri has not been enjoying full electricity.

“We were able to take electricity supply through an old line of 33 KV which we repaired and restored and were able to take 10 megawatts to Maiduguri over 130 kilometers on a 33 single circuit.

“We restored that around three to four months or thereabout; so they are enjoying but very little; by the time the electricity reaches Maiduguri, it will drop to six or seven megawatts because of losses along the way”, he said.

In contrast to the larger one, the 330, which requires weeks or months to restore because it is in the wilderness, the concept is that if someone tampers with it, it is simple to restore it within a day or two.

“So, as it is now, even the one that we have installed, we have been playing hide and seek; occasionally they will pull one or two poles, which we will replace, and this is why we are doing this endeavor by the roadside; it is this to keep on restoring back,” Aliyu stated.

He explained that the contractor has currently returned to repair the main line, 330, which was vandalized previously.

The local component for the Damaturu upgrading injection transformer is N1.3 billion, while the sixth one is 6.7 million dollars.

So, the two memos were gratefully authorized by the council, and the total amount approved for these is N5.1 billion in naira and $22.6 million in dollars.