The Federal Government has announced an additional 625 megawatts to the national grid, increasing the grid’s wheeling capacity to 4800 megawatts. This disclosure was made on Thursday by the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, at the commissioning of the 63 MVA, 132/33kV mobile station at Ajah, Lagos State, and Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, simultaneously. The minister also appealed to Nigerians to continue to safeguard national assets from acts of vandalization.
The commissioning of the 63MVA, 132/33kV Ajah Mobile Substation remains a crucial element of the first phase of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI). Adelabu expressed gratitude for the collective efforts that made the commissioning possible. He highlighted the significance of the Ajah Substation in the broader context of the PPI’s objectives, stressing its value addition in enhancing transmission capacity, energy access, and overall advancements towards the 4000MW to 6000MW improvement targets.
The commissioning of the Ajah Mobile Substation, the minister said, marked a significant step within the Nigeria-Siemens Partnership (PPI) framework aimed at modernizing and expanding Nigeria’s power infrastructure. “Alongside Ajah, the commissioning of another location, Birnin Kebbi in Kebbi State, occurred simultaneously. These combined efforts will boost transmission wheeling capacity to 123MW, ultimately leading to enhanced electricity provision for households and businesses in both Ajah and Birnin Kebbi.”
“Furthermore, in May, a 60MVA Power Transformer will be installed and commissioned at the Ajah Transmission Substation, contributing to a total of 123MW to the Ajah area in the month of May 2024 alone.
“The successful installation and energization of the Ajah Mobile Substation testify to the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders involved, including government agencies and Siemens Energy as technical partners for the project,” he said.
This commissioning, he added, marked a significant step towards achieving the PPI’s goals of enhancing power transmission, distribution, and generation capacity across Nigeria. “As the nation progresses towards a more electrified future, initiatives like the PPI serve as beacons of hope and progress for all Nigerians,” he said.
Speaking, the Managing Director/CEO FGN Power Company, Mr. Kenny Anuwe, said the commissioning represented a vital addition to the nation’s infrastructure to enhance transmission wheeling capacity and reinforce the government’s commitment to providing better electricity access for all Nigerians.
“The 63MVA, 132/33kV Mobile Substation plays a critical role in upgrading transmission wheeling capacity and facilitating quick deployment to meet Nigeria’s growing energy demands. 10 of them were procured, three have been installed, while two will be commissioned by next week,” he said.
The mobile substations, he said, were strategically positioned to enhance the efficiency and reliability of power supply across key economic hubs in the country, adding that they would alleviate transmission capacity constraints in the sector by over 1300MW.
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Some of the Mobile Substations, he added, were being deployed at Ajah, Jebba, Kwanar Dangora, Nike Lake, amongst others. “As we stand on the cusp of a transformative era in Nigeria’s power sector, FGN Power Company remains steadfast in our commitment to driving progress and delivering tangible improvements in electricity access for all Nigerians,” Anuwe said.
“With unwavering dedication and collaboration, we are poised to unlock the nation’s full potential and illuminate a brighter future for generations to come,” he added.
As Nigeria continues its journey towards energy sufficiency and economic prosperity, initiatives like the PPI underscore President Tinubu’s unwavering determination to deliver adequate electricity towards unlocking Nigeria’s full economic potential. FGN Power Company was established by the Presidency as a special purpose vehicle (SPV), tasked with implementing the PPI, with Siemens serving as the technical partner.
The Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) aims to enable the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) to achieve commercial autonomy through critical infrastructure investments.