By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has disclosed that it added 6,216MVA, about 6000MW, to the national grid since 2015.
This was disclosed by Minister of Power, Mr Abubakar Aliyu, in Abuja at the 11th edition of the President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) Scorecard Series (2015-2023) held on Tuesday.
The Minister noted that 73 of the power transformers were installed by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in substations across the nation, citing that the achievement will boost Nigeria’s capacity for economic productivity.
He noted that some of the completed Power Transformer/Substation projects include the 150MVA 330/132kV Interbus Power Transformer at Ughelli, Delta IV Transmission Substation and the 150MVA 330/132kV Power Transformer at Ayade Transmission Substation.
Others were the 2x150MVA 330/132/33kV Substation at Lafia, Nasarawa State, and the 2x60MVA 132/33kV Dawaki/Gwarinpa Substation, which was recently completed in November 2022 under the Abuja Feeding Scheme.
The projects also included the 2x60MVA 132/33kV Gagarawa Substation, 2x60MVA 132/33kV Substation at Adiabor, 2x30MVA 132/33kV Yelwa Yauri the1x30MVA 132/33kV Ilashe Substation and the 1x40MVA 132/33kV Substation at Bichi.
He added that more substations and bay extensions were nearing completion and were expected to be inaugurated by the first half of 2023, adding a total of 900km of reconductoring and construction of new transmission lines was completed during the period 2015 – 2022, including the reconductoring of 140km 132kV Birnin- Kebbi to Sokoto transmission line (April 2021) and completion of 330kV Aloji – Ikot Ekpene transmission line.
Mr Aliyu also noted that the ongoing $2 billion electricity grid maintenance, expansion, and rehabilitation programme across the country is estimated to create 45,000 direct and indirect jobs.