FEC Approves N39.6 Billion To Energize Power Transmission Lines

By Ayodele Oni

There is rekindled hope for the people of Ekiti state to enjoy more stable electricity supply going by the federal government’s resolve to complete work on the 132 KVA serving the state from Akure, Ondo state capital.

The 132 KVA line, on which work has been completed but yet to be energized, is among those that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved N39.6 billion on Wednesday at its sitting in Abuja.

The amount is for various transmission line contracts in the power sector across the country.

The approval of the amount by the council meeting, presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, followed a memo by the Minister of power, Abubakar Aliyu.

Briefing journalists at the end of the meeting,  the Minister said the various projects comprise several amounts, including an offshore component of $53 million and an onshore component of N15.6 billion.

“I presented three memos to the council today and I got approval for the three memos.

“The first memo sought the council’s approval for the procurement of transmission line materials for reconductoring works for the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in favor of Messrs Legacy Power in the sum of $6 million; that’s the offshore value.

“The component for the onshore is N145 million inclusive of all the taxes and 12 months of completion.

“The second memo sought the council’s approval for the award of a contract for the construction of a “15 kilometres turn in-turn outline of the existing Akure-Ado-Ekiti 132 single-circuit transmission line at Akure; 330,132, 33 sub-stations of the TCN in favor of Messrs Legacy Power Limited in the sum of $2.5 million for offshore component and N988.5 million for the onshore component.

“The sub-station in Akure, which has been completed over two years ago, is a 330 sub-station, and we could not energize the sub-station because of lack of line.

“The line is supposed to originate in Benin, where a new line is currently being constructed.

“I have spoken to (sic) this project here several times; it is the project that has a problem of right way, which we are dealing with gradually, and the line is supposed to energize the Akure sub-station, which was completed over two years ago.

“The line is coming from Benin north to Oshogbo, which will pass and energize the Akure sub-station.

“So, this project is 132 lines from the Akure sub-station going to Akure-Ado-Ekiti which is simultaneously going on with the Benin north-Akure line.

“By the time we are able to energize the Akure line, this project would have been completed so that the whole area will have no problem with electricity.”

The minister explained that the project, which had also been approved by the council, would be completed in 12 months.

Aliyu said the last memo presented sought to design, supply, and install a total of 132 32KV (kilovolts) substations and transmission lines across the country.

“The last memo, which has five projects on it, sought to design, supply, and install 132 32KV substations and transmission lines across different locations in the country for TCN in favor of several contractors for a total of $53 million. This is the offshore. Then, the onshore is N15.6 billion.

“The projects are all similar –design, supply, and install 2 by 60MVA 132 33kV transmission substation across the country as I stated earlier.

“We have one in Misau local government area, Bauchi state. We have another one in Mashi local government in Kastina state. We have the third one in Benue state, which is Api, and the North Bank in Makurdi.

“Then we have the fourth one in Ebonyi state, 60MVA transformer at a university in Ebonyi state; then, we have the other one at Ebonyi airport; then, the fifth one is a line of 30 kilometre at Rimin Zakara to Kayin in Kano.

“So, these are the various projects that constitute the various amounts — offshore of $53 million and onshore component of N15.6 billion.”