Adedapo Adesanya
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says it has received funding of $210 million for the Nigeria Transmission Expansion Project (NTEP1) from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to boost electricity transmission in the country.
General Manager of Public Affairs at TCN, Mrs Ndidi Mbah, said in a statement that the bank made the approval at its board meeting in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, on Wednesday.
According to Mrs Mbah, the money will be deployed in the NTEP-1 projects under the Transmission Rehabilitation and Expansion Programme (TREP) funded by the bank.
She said the projects were aimed at rehabilitating and expanding the transmission grid in the North-East, South-South and the South-East zones in Nigeria, adding that old transmission lines would be reconstructed and new ones built.
“Also, the advert for the pre-qualification of contractors had been carried out under advance procurement and evaluation of submissions from consultants that submitted ‘Expression of Interests for the procurement of consultancy for the project is ongoing,” she said in the statement.
She further said, “Adopting the use of advance procurement in the execution of its projects, which has given TCN lead time, reducing procurement period by 6months.
“NTEP-1 projects would address some transmission lines and substations requirements in the North West, South-South and South-East regions of the nation.
“In the North West, the projects that would be executed include the construction of 212KM Double Circuit 330kV Quad conductor (Kaduna to Kano); installation of 2x150MVA and 2x60MVA transformers and bay extensions in Zaria; installation of 2x150MVA and 2x60MVA transformers with associated bay feeders and bay extensions in Kaduna Millennium city; installation of 2x60MVA transformers and outgoing feeders in Rigasa Kaduna; and the installation of 2x60MVA transformers and outgoing feeders in Jaji, Kaduna. The substations would all have turn in and turn out transmission lines.
“In the South-South and South-East, NTEP-1 would reconstruct the 107KM double circuit Delta-Benin transmission lines into a 330kV quad line; reconstruct the 138KM Alaoji- Ihiala – Onitsha Single Circuit line into 330kV Double Circuit Quad line.
“TCN noted that NTEP-2 which would execute projects mainly in the North East and parts of the central states of the nation is also in the pipeline and has reached an advanced stage on the funding processing.”
On the bank’s part, Ebrima Faal, AfDB Senior Director for Nigeria, said that the project would help reduce Nigeria’s power deficit.
“Nigerians and their businesses spend 14 billion dollars annually on inefficient and expensive petrol or diesel-powered generators.
“This project will contribute significantly to the reduction of Nigeria’s power deficit, decrease air and noise pollution and reduce the cost of doing business,” Faal said.
