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FG, investors plan 190 projects to tackle power challenges

By Kingsley Jeremiah, Abuja
13 April 2018   |   3:45 am
The Federal Government has disclosed plans to improve electricity supply across the country. Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja. According to him, the Federal Government has proposed over 190 new projects to boost transmission, generation and distribution. Fashola also commissioned a 60MVAR capacitor bank, built by the Transmission…

Minster of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola.

The Federal Government has disclosed plans to improve electricity supply across the country.

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja.

According to him, the Federal Government has proposed over 190 new projects to boost transmission, generation and distribution.

Fashola also commissioned a 60MVAR capacitor bank, built by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) funded the substation, which is located at Apo area of the FCT.

Fashola stressed the urgent need to upgrade power infrastructure to meet growing population.

He said: “Our population has grown over the last 20 years without commensurate expansion in the services that we have installed.

“Over the next two weeks, what you will see are TCN rolling out nothing less than 90 projects to support transmission nationwide.

“There would also be over 100 projects funded by Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC) to support transmission and distribution across the country,”

The minister said investment capital into the power sector has been on the increase since the Muhammadu Buhari administration came on board.

He promised that the administration would not relent on its promise of incremental power.

According to him: “We have not only improved the quantity of power that is available, we have also improved the quality of power that is transported and the quantity that is distributed.

“But our work is not finished, as it is one thing to have power and another to have quality power.”

He added that the focus now is to increase voltage, because it is critical for general safety and quality of lives and property.

Fashola disclosed that there was no going back on improvement of customer service and care in the power sector.

On the need to power streetlights, he said the ministry would provide alternative and environmental friendly energy sources.

He added: “Abuja does not need to power streetlight with generators. We will collaborate to provide options, which include solar, access through eligible customers, efficient and cheaper energy to power the facilities.

Japan’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Sadanobu Kusaoke, disclosed that his country had committed nothing less than $12.4 million as grant to improve power situation in Nigeria.

This, he, said includes the commissioned project and another at Keffi Transmission Substation, which is expected to be commissioned in June this year.

Kusaoke said the project would also help to decrease transmission loss and stabilise power supply to approximately 7, 000 households.

For the Managing Director of TCN, Usman Muhammed, the agency is on course with the agenda of increment power across the country.

Minister of FCT, Muhammed Bello said the project would boost energy efficiency.

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