FG pledges improved power supply as ECOWAS douses liquidity crisis

Federal Government, yesterday, said additional megawatts of electricity are being added to the national grid, as the West African Power Pool (WAPP) moves to create liquidity enhancement for the electricity market in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

To address the epileptic electricity sector in the country, Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, said the government has started construction of a 132 kilovolts transmission line, a two-by-60MVA transmission substation and a switching station in Ekiti State, to raise the state’s capacity by 204 megawatts (MW).

Aliyu, during the groundbreaking ceremony in Ado Ekiti, said the project consists of a 50-kilometre stretch of 132KV transmission line from Ikere (Ado Ekiti) with a turn in- turn out at Ijesa Isu that terminates at Ilupeju Ekiti.

It also has a two-by-60MVA, 132/33KV transmission substation with four line bays at Ijesa Isu Ekiti and a switching station at Ikere (Ado Ekiti).

Represented by Managing Director of Transmission Company of Nigeria, (TCN), Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, Aliyu said: “For TCN, this is a very strategic project, and we believe it will have a massive impact on bulk power transmission in Ekiti and environs.

“The projects are part of the many being undertaken by TCN, in pursuit of its grid expansion programme, which is in line with Mr. President’s mandate for expansion of the power sector for sustainable development.”

The minister said in various transmission regions, nationwide, TCN is equally executing substations and lines projects, which are at various stages of execution.

“These are a clear indication that the Federal Government is not relenting in its determination to ensure that the nation’s power sector receives desired boost.

“For residents of Ekiti State and environs, additional 204MW capacity to the grid means more bulk supply will be readily available for offtake by Benin DisCo for its customers.”

“The substations project also will take care of suppressed load in this axis and relieve the Ado-Ekiti substation, which has been overburdened, to ensure a more reliable electricity supply to the people of Ekiti,” he said.

The chairman, Executive Board of WAPP, Dr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, at the 54th meeting of the Executive Board Meeting held in Cotonou, Benin Republic, said review and adoption of documents proposed by the task force on creation of the Liquidity Enhancement Revolving Fund (LERF) is ongoing.

According to him, creation of the fund will provide the ECOWAS regional electricity market with a very important tool for electricity trading by reducing the level of outstanding bills, thereby providing stakeholders in the trade with a high degree of robustness and sustainability.

Speaking further at the meeting, which is the second this year, he urged participants to examine the documents carefully and make relevant comments.