Nigeria invests in Abuja Power Transmission Project

Minister for Power and Steel, Senator Liyel Imoke, said the sum of N 14.78 bn was spent to acquire an ultra-modern electricity transmitter, meant to improve power supply to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The project encompasses a 330 kV double Circuit Transmission Line located at Katemkpe Hills, at the outskirts of Abuja, which is drawn from the Shirorro Hydro Dam and the 132/33 kV electricity sub-station built in the Central Area of the city.

Speaking while commissioning the sub-station, Imoke said the project was embarked upon five years ago, as a result of the highly inadequate power supply in the city. According to him, the low level of power supply has forced huge electricity users like Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and NICON Hotels, to source for alternative means of power generation to run their businesses.
He said with the coming into stream of the facility, most of the huge energy users can now be connected to the national grid.

"This project is very significant, because it is going to meet growing demands for electricity in Abuja," Imoke said, adding that the Federal Government was not unmindful of the fact that the rate of growth of Abuja today is far more than that of other major cities in the country and is planning for additional capacity for the city.
"By January, next year, government hopes to start a new 330 kV power transmission line that would connect the Ajaokuta where there is an on-going power generation project at Geregu, Kogi State, through Lokoja to Gwagwalada with accompanying sub-stations to be situated at Lokoja and Gwagwalada", he said.

The project is expected to create necessary loop for power supply into Abuja. The minister expressed hope that the envisioned project along other power projects currently being executed across the country would be completed by 2007.
Earlier, while welcoming the Minister to the event, Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) Managing Director, Engr. Joseph Makoju, said the completion of the sub-station which was handled by Energo Nigeria Limited, was part of the great transformation taking place within the country's power sector. He said government has expended billions of Naira on projects in the power sector, a greater percentage of which has been spent on fixing transmission lines for effective power evacuation.