The Enugu State Government has commenced the construction of three new 33KV electricity feeders designed to end prolonged power outages and provide improved, stable and reliable electricity supply to communities in four local council areas of the state.

The project, which is being developed from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Station, Ugwuaji, will improve electricity supply to Nkanu East, Nkanu West, Awgu, and Aninri local council areas.

The flag-off of the project was preceded by a stakeholders meeting on electricity held at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, at the weekend.

The intervention is targeted at addressing the longstanding challenges associated with the Amechi 33KV feeder, which currently serves as the major source of electricity supply to Nkanu East and Nkanu West, as well as Enugu South, Awgu and Aninri local council areas in Enugu State.

The feeder, which stretches for more than 600 kilometres into three local council areas of Ebonyi State, is reportedly the longest 33KV feeder in the South-East, making it difficult to detect and rectify faults and resulting in prolonged electricity outages across communities it serves.

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Enugu State Electrification Agency (ESEA), Christopher Ezeoha, said the state government had decided to fundamentally restructure the network rather than simply restore the existing feeder.

Ezeoha explained that the government was constructing two new 33KV feeders from the TCN Station at Ugwuaji and extending an existing short 33KV feeder from the same station, bringing the number of new and extended feeders to three.

He said the new feeders would be dedicated to improving electricity supply to Nkanu East and Nkanu West, while the existing Amechi feeder would be reconfigured to serve Awgu and Aninri.

Ezeoha said the government would further construct four new injection substations in Nkanu East and Nkanu West to transform electricity from 33KV to 11KV, thereby strengthening the distribution network and improving the reliability of power supply in the areas.