AFDB approves $210m TREP project for Nigeria

THE African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved $210Million NTEP -1 projects, which is under the Transmission Rehabilitation and Expansion Program( TREP) handled by the Transmission Company of Nigeria ( TCN)

The NTEP which is expected to be completed in two years is targeted at rehabilitating and expanding parts of the transmission grid in the North West, South-South and the South East.

This was contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by the TCN General Manager Public Affairs, Mrs Ndidi Mba.

The project according to TCN would reconstruct old transmission lines and build new ones as well as construct new substations, contributing to further increase in TCN’s transmission capacity.

It disclosed that although the approval has just been given, the company had already concluded Environmental Studies including Resettlement Action Plan.

The Company said this became imperative to identify people who would be affected by the acquisition of the Right of Way (RoW) for the proposed transmission lines adding that the report had been submitted to AfDB.

ALSO READ: FAO, Agip donate 4 water projects to FCT communities

“Also the advert for the pre-qualification of contractors had been carried out under advance procurement and evaluation of submissions from consultants that submitted “Expression of interest” for the procurement of consultancy for the project is on-going.

“Adopting the use of advance procurement in the execution of its projects, which has given TCN lead time, reducing procurement period by 6months,” the statement partly reads.

The Company further disclosed that the procurement processes for the project is about 70% complete, hence the speedy commencement of the project’s execution.

“NTEP-1 projects would address some transmission lines and substations requirements in the North West, South-South and South-East regions of the nation.

“In the North West, the projects that would be executed include the construction of 212KM Double Circuit 330kV Quad conductor (Kaduna to Kano); installation of 2x150MVA and 2x60MVA transformers and bay extensions in Zaria; installation of 2x150MVA and 2x60MVA transformers with associated bay feeders and bay extensions in Kaduna Millennium city; installation of 2x60MVA transformers and outgoing feeders in Rigasa Kaduna; and the installation of 2x60MVA transformers and outgoing feeders in Jaji, Kaduna. The substations would all have turn in and turn out transmission lines.

“In the South-South and South-East, NTEP-1 would reconstruct the 107KM double circuit Delta-Benin transmission lines into a 330kV quad line; reconstruct the 138KM Alaoji- Ihiala – Onitsha Single Circuit line into 330kV Double Circuit Quad line.

“TCN noted that NTEP-2 which would execute projects mainly in the North East and parts of the central states of the nation is also in the pipeline and has reached an advanced stage on the funding processing,” the statement reads.

However, TCN reiterated its commitment to ensuring that the projects are completed as scheduled, in line with its four-year Transmission Rehabilitation and Expansion Programme (TREP).