By Obas Esiedesa
The Managing Director of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Engr. Ernest Mupwaya has said the company was committed to the speedy completion of the N1.04bn Nasarawa power evacuation project designed to significantly improve power supply across Nasarawa State and its environs.
AEDC in a statement by its General Manager, Corporate Communications, Oyebode Fadipe disclosed that the project was designed to evacuate power from the two new 150MVA 330/132KV and two other 60MVA 132/33KV transmission substations at Akurba being built by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC).
It is an intervention scheme designed to step down bulk power for TCN from the 330KV Ikot-Ekpene-Ugwuaji-Apir-Jos transmission line.
Mupwaya who visited the project site recently said AEDC was preparing its the networks for the evacuation of the load that will become available from the transmission facility slated for completion in the 1st quarter of 2020.
He stressed that the utility as the final leg that ensures that electricity gets to the homes and offices of consumer – is fully aware of the need to ensure that it plays its own role within this laudable project.
According to him, “The TCN project will provide a massive boost in power supply potentials to Nasarawa State up to southern Kaduna and even parts of Plateau state. There will be more hours of electricity available on the network and a significant improvement in the voltage profile of the state.
“However, if we do not play our own part, that power will not get into people’s homes. We are putting all efforts at ensuring the project is completed in good time. We will leave no stone unturned”.
The evacuation project includes the construction of four 33KV feeders, a new 5MVA injection substation for the rice mill in Lafia, take-off bays for the new two units of 60MVA 132/33KV Akurba Transmission station in Lafia, the rehabilitation of existing 33KV and 11KV distribution lines across the state and the relief and upgrading of distribution transformers.
It also includes the upgrade of two units of 1MVA injection substations to 5.0MVA at Awe and Keana areas, and the upgrade of a 2.5MVA injection substation at Obi to a 5MVA injection substation.
Since the project started in September 2019, over N160 million has been committed to key constructions in the first phase. With its completion, customers in Akwanga and environs will begin to enjoy power supply directly rather the present situation where they split their power supply with Lafia.
Engr. Mupwaya assured that with the commissioning of the TCN facility and the completion of the AEDC substation, customers in the state will soon begin to enjoy better power supply that will boost the quality of life and catalyse socio-economic growth and development in the state.
