1 week Ago By Folarin Kehinde
The federal government has announced the signing of a major engineering, procurement, construction and financing (EPC&F) contract with China Machinery Engineering Company (CMEC) group worth US$328,818,916.99 to boost power supply across Nigeria. Minister of Power Chief Adebayo Adelabu, while speaking, Wednesday, at the signing ceremony in Abuja, said the project will ensure the rehabilitation and extensive construction of 330 kV and 132 kV transmissions.
Adebayo stated that the project with a load capacity of 7,140 megawatts will act as the arteries that carry the increased power generated through Nigeria’s midstream transmission projects directly to the homes, businesses, and industries, adding that the project is deliberately designed to seamlessly complement the ongoing midstream transmission enhancements. “By focusing on upgrading and expanding our transmission network, we are directly addressing a key bottleneck in the power sector value chain. This will translate to a significant improvement in electricity reliability and accessibility for millions of Nigerians fostering economic growth, creating jobs, and enhancing the quality of life for citizens.
” Adelabu noted that the government is aware of the current power supply challenges but is working tirelessly to address them hence the contract signing. He said Nigerians should join hands in protecting the nation’s critical assets while working towards providing affordable and reliable power supply to Nigerians. “This project, I also want to reiterate, will involve a lot of installation of expensive wire lines, expensive substations that are seen as national, critical national assets.
“We urge Nigerians to join hands in protecting this because it is going to be executed with taxpayers’ money. Even if it is through finance, the repayment of the financing will be from taxpayers’ money. “If we destroy our transmission or distribution assets, we are destroying our own personal assets.
So, this asset must be guarded and protected generously for us to have unaltered and undisturbed regular power supply to our people,” he stated..
