Oscarline Onwuemenyi
10 April 2018, Sweetcrude, Abuja – The Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has said the transmission capacities of Umuahia and Aba transmission sub-stations have been upgraded to boost power supply in Abia State and environs.
Speaking at the inauguration of the 40MVA 132/33KVA mobile power transformer at Umuahia transmission sub-station on Monday, Fashola said the move was part of the Federal Government’s commitment to boosting the socio-economic growth of the country.
He said the growing population and consequent demand for more power supply made it pertinent to increase the volume of power supplied through the sub-stations in Abia State.
Fashola noted that increasing the capacity of Umuahia sub-station would improve electricity supply to Umuahia metropolis and its environs as well as some parts of Imo.
“It is no longer news that our power generation has risen to 7000 MW but the distribution capacity still lags 2000 MW behind. That means we need to expand distribution and transmission support system,” he said.
The minister said the new mobile power transformer installed by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) would increase the capacity of the Umuahia transmission sub-station from 80MVA to 120MVA.
According to him, the commissioning of the 60MVA 132/33KVA power transformer in Aba transmission sub-station would also increase the sub-station’s capacity from 147.5MVA to 227.5MVA.
Fashiola said he was in Abia State to discover, first hand, the local problems encountered in power supply and to develop solutions.
“Our purpose is to hold the annual monthly meeting with stakeholders to deepen our service to Nigerians with respect to accessing adequate power supply. It is also to familiarise ourselves with the power installations and assets that generate, transmit and distribute power in the state,” he said.
In his remark, Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia commended the Federal Government for boosting power supply in Abia.
Ikpeazu said that the actualisation of the socioeconomic development of the state and nation at large required a well structured power distribution system.
