Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Raji Fashola, on Thursday said that the ministry recovered 690 out of 800 containers of electricity equipment abandoned at port for 10 years by previous administrations.
Fashola said this at the commissioning of 2×100MVA – 132/33kv power transformers at Ejigbo Transmission Substation in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ejigbo Transmission Substation was commissioned in 1970 with an installed capacity 60MVA, comprising two number of 30MVA 132/33kv transformers.
In August 2017, the capacity of the station was increased to 120MVA with the addition of a 60MVA transformer.
Fashola said that the present administration inherited 800 containers for power equipment left in the port.
“President Muhammadu Buhari gave us approval to use it and we have recovered 690.
“This is part of the equipment you are seeing going into substations that Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN)’s engineers are using to increase substation’s capacity.
“With this expansion, the additional feeders will serve communities like Ejigbo, Idimu, Oke-Afa, Egbe, Shasha.
“Also, Murtala Airport will also see improved power services,” he said.
Fashola said that transmission expansion work was going on in 90 locations across the country.
Mr Usman Mohammed, Chief Executive Officer of TCN, said the project was funded by the World bank through TCN Project Management Unit.
According to Mohammed, the first power transformer was completely installed and energized on Feb. 2, 2018 while the second transformer was energized on Aug. 14, 2018 with three number of 33kv feeder.
He said that with the increase in the Ejigbo substations’ capacity, the company had substantially increased bulk electricity available in the substation in Ikeja Electric (IE) to its customers.
“Consequently, electricity consumers in Ejigbo, Egbe, Oke Afa, Ikotun, Ijegun, Shasha and Idimu towns will now have improved power supply from IE.
“Other benefits include relieve of some overloaded feeders in Egbe, Shasha and Oke-Afa.
“Also, Lagos Airport will now have more load allocated to it.
“Improved power in these areas, will positively impact the socio-economic development of the areas in particular and economy at large,” he said.
The Chief Executive Officer, Ikeja Electric, Mr Anthony Youdeowei, said the company was the major beneficiary of the substation.
The IE boss said that communities around would benefit from the project.
He said that IE was committed to ensuring that quality supply was giving to it’s consumers within the network