FEC approves power projects in Yobe, Ogun

The federal executive council (FEC) has approved several contracts to boost power supply in various parts of the country.

Aliyu Abubakar, minister of power, briefed journalists after the council’s valedictory meeting on Wednesday.

The minister said the council approved the award of a contract for the engineering procurement, construction, and financing of the implementation of 330 kilovolts (KV) and 132 KV line transmission lines; as well as 33 KV, 11 KV, and a 400 protective earth (PE) distribution line project, under phase one of the presidential power initiative (PPI).

He said the contract was awarded in “favour of two contractors in the sum of $581,629,355.93, inclusive of 7.5 percent, at the prevailing exchange rate with a completion period of 36 months as indicated”.

“The recipient companies for lot one, from DL from Benin and Enugu DisCos, Messrs SLD electric. Then, lot DM 3 Abuja, Jos, Kano, Kaduna DisCos, Messrs China civil engineering construction cooperation, totaling a distance of around 13,000 kilometers for the two ‘lots’, and it has been graciously approved by council,” Abubakar said.

“Council approved the award of contract for the construction of 750 kilowatts solar PV power plant at the headquarters of where TCN is also situated in favor of Proserv Energy Services Limited in the sum of N1.6 billion inclusive of 7.5 percent VAT with a completion period of six months.

“Council also approved routine maintenance for the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). The council approved a contract for the upgrading of the substation in Potiskum town in Yobe state with 132 power transformers.

“It is an existing substation, which has been there for a very long time with only one transformer and it serves a lot of areas around Potiskum.”

Abubakar said the town is the largest in the state, with a very huge population; adding that it is the hub for commerce and transportation.

With the upgrade, the politician said Potiskum will become a hub for electricity transmission and distribution.

“The other component of it is the line bringing additional line from Damaturu. Before now, the line was coming from Gombe, which is over 200 kilometers. It is a 132 single-line coming into Potiskum to power the substation,” he said.

“So, having a 330 substation in Damaturu makes it easier and more prudent to take electricity from Damaturu to Potiskum over a distance of 120 kilometers.

“Because the longer you take the electricity on a 132 line, you get low quality of electricity. So, with the 132 from Gombe single line and now this proposed one coming from Damaturu to Potiskum, you will have a double circuit, and with an additional transformer of 132 cables, that is one by 60 MB.

“The second one on that memo was the construction of a two by 60 MBA and 132 line transmission substation at Sapade in Ogun state and in favour of Messrs VNK International Technologists at the total cost of a foreign component $10.2 million and a local component of N3.3 billion. 

“The third one was the supply and installation of 33 KV substation equipment at Daura Emirate, Katsina state, in favour of Eases Power Deal Construction Limited in the sum of N4 billion.”