By Kingsley Okoye
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Saturday commissioned new power transformers at Okpella substation to boost electricity supply to Edo north, especially in major towns of Auchi, Okpella and Igarra.
The 1x60MVA ,132,33kv power transformer would also service some major towns in Estako, and Akoko Edo local governments.
TCN had also successfully installed 40MVA at Auchi 132, 33kv substation.
The new installation at Okpella was to improve on the old 1x15MVA,132/33Kv substation which had limited capacity to adequately supply electricity to Okpella, BUA cement company, Aghenebode town and environs.
Because of the limitation, TCN awarded the contract for the reinforcement of the substation in 2012 to Messers Power Control and Appliances (PCA) to add 1×60 MVA,13/33kv transformer to increase the quality of supply in the area.
The Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, (NERC), Prof. James Momoh, commissioned the transformer in company of Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo.
He said communities in Edo north had been experiencing poor electricity supply over the years.
He said that this had impacted negatively on the industrial development of the zone and the state in general.
“The villages around here witness low voltage, meaning there is no impact in development, it cannot touch industrialisation that we want because the quality of supply is very low.
“Because we are unable to harness power, industries cannot spring up in Edo, where we have all the vegetation, we have all the minerals.
“The lop-sidedness in supply made it very impossible for distribution to get to our villages.“
He explained that the provision of the new additional power transformer in the substation was for the interest of the Edo people, adding that the Okpella community must maintain and protect the facility.
“It will serve Okpella cement factory, it will serve other people, but we want to make sure we create jobs, we create industries. It will bring relief to our people; it will transform the economy of the state.“
Momoh, who promised to ensure improved power supply in Edo also commended TCN management and its in-house engineers for installing the power transformer.
“TCN engineers have done many installations in the country, they are saving money for Nigeria.“
Responding, Obaseki said that the initiative of TCN had just ignited the starting of industrial revolution in the state.
“We thanked TCN and NERC for what they are doing in the electricity industry.
“The issue of electricity supply was at the front burner during my campaign and you have help up spark up electricity supply via this initiative by increasing the capacity of the substation with over 300 per cent.
He said that the state government would continue to support TCN in the discharge of its duties, especially on resolving the onerous challenge of right of way on transmission lines.
He appealed to NERC to prevail on Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to improve its supply to customers, saying that BEDC was underperforming in the state.
The Managing Director of TCN, Mr Usman Mohammed said that the installation of the 60MVA 132,33kv in Okpella was consistent with the industrial policy of Edo government.
He attributed it to the existence of huge mineral deposits like limestone in the area.
He said that the installation would improve power supply to BUA cement company, Aghenebode town, Igara and many other communities in the state.
According to Mohammed, the installation of the 1x60MVA at Okpella substation will also increase the total wheeling capacity of TCN to 7,124MW.
He said that TCN would soon complete the installation of another 30MVA on the station and re-conduct the Benin, Irua Auchi, Okpella, and Okene 132 substations.
He said that this would enable the optimum use of the capacity being installed on the Okpella station.
“We are adding 100MVA at Irua, 150MVA at Benin, and another 100MVA at Benin transmission station,’’ he said. (NAN)
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