As parts of efforts to resolve the teething challenges in the nation’s power sector, the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu said efforts will geared towards completing 100 ongoing uncompleted Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) projects this year for improvement, saying “no new project for 2024”.
Adebabu stated his in Abuja while unveiling his road map for stabilizing the sector in fixing transmission infrastructural gap in evacuation lines stability and capacity expansion.
He said his ministry has, “resolve to complete reasonable proportion out of the over 100 ongoing uncompleted TCN projects for transmission improvements. No new project for 2024 as focus will be on completing ongoing projects abandoned due to cost escalation from variations and fluctuations in contract price.”
Another move the minister stated will be to accelerate talks on the EPC+Festival super grid projects with two Chinese firms for the Western and Eastern grid for fall over/back up capacity for the national grid to achieve grid stability and capability expansion.
He said efforts will also focus on ; “accelerating the Presidential power initiatives (Siemens Project) with completion of the pilot phase of the project and commencement of the phase one to increase transmission capacity to 8,000 mega Watts.
“Upgrading of old and weak 330KV and 132KV Transmission substations with new and higher capacity transformers, reactors and other accessories.
” Start projects of reconductoring of existing aging transmission power lines.
“Speed up intervention projects funded by loans from multilateral development partners aimed at impairing transmission infrastructure. This includes World Bank, Africa Development Bank and JICA.”
The Minister stressed that there will be;” heavy 2024 interventions by the Federal Ministry of Power and the Rural Electrification Agency to intensify provision of solar homes systems, solar street lights and more mini/macro grids to the unserved and underserved rural and sub-urban communities,” adding that;” provisions have been made in the 2024 budget for this.”
