The Minister
of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has said electricity supply
in the country is improving slowly and that power problems cannot be solved by
magic.
Total power
generation stood at 3,729 megawatts as of 6am on Wednesday, according to latest
data obtained by a Media source from the ministry.
Fashola, who
spoke on Thursday at the inauguration of the 2x100MVA, 132/33kV power
transformers at the Ejigbo Transmission Substation, Lagos, commended the
Transmission Company of Nigeria for the ongoing projects across the country.
“We have
come to hand over this expanded transmission substation, the Ejigbo
Transmission Substation, to the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company. This
substation was built in 1970; the capacity was 60MVA then; except for the
addition of another 60MVA, this community has grown exponentially; so they have
exceeded the installed capacity here,” he stated.
The minister
said President Muhammadu Buhari knew the substation required an expansion,
adding that the capacity had been increased from 120MVA to 300MVA.
He stated,
“Between that time and when President Buhari came three years ago, some people
were there. But they will come back to you; so, when they come back, ask them
if they didn’t know where to buy transformers.
“The problem
of electricity is slowly being solved, one by one. Anybody will tell you he
will do magic; tell him, ‘How?’ He should explain to you. We inherited 800
containers for power equipment left in the port for 10 years. President Buhari
gave us approval, and we have recovered 690.”
According to
Fashola, there are 90 transmission projects ongoing across the country, and
some of the recovered of pieces equipment are being used for them.
“If you look
at it, between 2015 and now, you ask yourself honestly: Are you spending more
on diesel now or before? Are you running your generators for longer today or
yesterday? So, are you seeing the power slowly staying longer? If you are
truthful to yourself, you will know that it is better than yesterday. And we
haven’t finished,” he said.
The Managing
Director, TCN, Usman Mohammed, said the installation of the two units of 100MVA
transformers at the Ejigbo Transmission Substation was funded by the World Bank
through the firm’s project management unit.
He stated,
“With the increase in the Ejigbo substation’s capacity, the TCN has
substantially increased bulk electricity available in the substation for the
Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company to take to its customers. Consequently,
electricity consumers in Ejigbo, Egbe, Oke-Afa, Shasha, Ikotun, Ijegun, and Idimu
town will now have improved power supply from Ikeja Electric.”
“Other
benefits include relieve of some overloaded feeders in Egbe, Shasha and
Oke-Afa. Also, the Lagos airport will now have more load allocated to it.
Improved power supply in these areas will positively impact the socio-economic
development of the areas in particular and the economy at large.”
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