President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday commissioned a 2X150MVA and 2X60MVA 330/132/33KV full automatic electricity transmission substation in Akurba Lafia, Nasarawa state.
The new substation is expected to improve supply around Lafia which had depended on a 93-kilometre distribution line from Akwanga with low voltage.
Speaking in an interview with journalists on the sideline of the event, the Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu stated that prior to the project execution, the quantity of power supplied to the State from Jos was not sufficient.
But noted that with the new substation, the State will now be a centre point for electricity distribution, bringing about industrialisation thus boosting medium and small scale businesses within the state.
“Before now, Nasarawa state received its electricity through a 33kV line from Jos with Akwanga which wasn’t sufficient. It gives them just a little electricity which cannot be useful. Now with this substation, Nasarawa has become a centre point for electricity distribution around this area and others beyond the grid.
“From here, you can take electricity to Abuja and connect. One thing you should understand is that the grid is a kind of a loop. We have to close all the loops. it is not as if when we take it to Abuja we are taking away electricity from here”.
“It can run from Abuja back to here also and the people here may not enjoy full benefits of the electricity on the station sometimes unless it is connected to other places. This is what is called the national grid”.
Earlier, the Managing Director (MD) Niger Delta Power Holding Company, (NDPHC) Chinedu Ugbo said the Substation was built essentially to step down electricity from the high voltage transmission line (overhead Lafia)to a lower voltage level where the distribution company AEDC can now draw electricity and serve close to One million households and businesses in the state.
According to him, this will help boost economic activities in the state, with positive knock-on effects on employment and socio-economic upliftment of the residents of the State.
He further noted that the substation will also transform Lafia into a major transmission hub as it is located conveniently to receive power not only from gas power plants in the South but also from the hydro plants in Niger State, through direct grid connections to them via Kaduna and Jos.
“It is now a major hub for further grid expansion development with potentials for new high voltage lines to connect Lafia to Abuja for enhanced grid security of supply to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT),” he said.
The project was flagged-off in 2018 by President Muhammadu Buhari to boost the power supply in the State.
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