Fresh N76.2 billion injected to boost transmission of electricity

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), said the African Development Bank (AfDB), has approved $210 million (N76.2 billion) to expand electricity transmission capacity in Nigeria.

The Federal Government applied for the loan to finance the first phase of Transmission Expansion Project (NTEP-1) in the North-western, South-eastern, and South-southern states.

The fund would be specifically used for design, manufacture, supply, installation and inauguration, and consultancy services for the transmission projects 
 
The project would reconstruct old transmission lines, and build new ones as well as construct new substations, to further increase TCN’s transmission capacity, its General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, said yesterday, in Abuja.
 
Mbah said although the approval has just been given, TCN had already concluded environmental studies including resettlement action plan in which people that would be affected by the acquisition of the Right of Way (RoW) for the proposed transmission lines were identified.
 
She added that the advert for the pre-qualification of contractors had been carried out under advance procurement and evaluation of submissions from consultants that submitted “Expression of Interest” for the procurement of consultancy for the project is on-going. 

According to her, adopting the use of advance procurement in the execution of its projects has given TCN lead time, reducing procurement period by six months. 

The procurement processes for the project is about 70 per cent complete, meaning that execution of the projects under NTEP-1 would soon commence in earnest.

In the North West, the projects that would be executed include the construction of 212KM Double Circuit 330kV Quad conductor (Kaduna to Kano); installation of 2x150MVA and 2x60MVA transformers and bay extensions in Zaria; installation of 2x150MVA and 2x60MVA transformers with associated bay feeders and bay extensions in Kaduna Millennium city; installation of 2x60MVA transformers and outgoing feeders in Rigasa Kaduna; and the installation of 2x60MVA transformers and out–going feeders in jaji, Kaduna.