The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has disclosed that it has begun the execution of the $170m power transmission project called the ‘Abuja Feeding Scheme’. The revelations were made by the Managing Director of TCN, Mr. Usman Mohammed during the ground breaking ceremony for the projects in Abuja.
“The main purpose of this project is to solve the transmission problem in Abuja for the next 20 years. Abuja currently has only two 330kV substations and we are putting additional two; it has five 132kV substations, we are adding three,” said Mohammed.
Under the programme, TCN will build five new transmission substations in the capital city within 24 months to stabilise electricity supply in the area. the scheme comprises two 330 kilovolt (kV) substations and three 132kV substations, and will take care of power supply challenges in the city.
“This project will include the construction of substations in Lokogoma, Gwarinpa, Kuje, Apo and Lugbe. Meanwhile the substations will be complemented by the construction of a new electricity transmission route from Lafia in Nasarawa State to Abuja, so as to provide the FCT with added power supply advantage,” said Mr. Usman Gur Mohammed.
Mohammed commended the French Development Agency (AFD) for its commitment to Nigeria’s power sector. He also disclosed that it was the first time an international donor agency would finance a green-field project in the country.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power, Mr. Louis Edozien, said the five substations will add 624MW wheeling capacity to the TCN which could be supplied to residents and businesses in and around Abuja.
Project Contractors Edozien stated that the contractors were up to the task and charged them to demonstrate their competence in the execution of the project.
According to the Managing Director of the project consultancy firm, OskaJo and Partners, Mr. Joseph Uujamhan, three contractors would handle the project.
TBEA and Energo Projekt will build the 330kV transmission lines from Lafia in Nasarawa State to New Apo, then to Old Apo 132/33KV substation, to connect to new substations at Lubge and Kuje in Abuja.
Grid Solutions will build two 330kV substations in New Apo and Lugbe with 600MVA transformer. Sieyuan-Sac will build three 132kV substations in Lokogoma, Kuje and Dawaki (Gwarimpa) area of Abuja.
