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NDPHC Awards Owerri Substation’s Installation, Energising Contract to Ak-Ay Elektric
- Reconnects Lafia, Nasarawa to national grid
Peter Uzoho
The Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) Limited has awarded the contract for immediate installation and energizing of the Owerri National Independent Power Project (NIPP) 2 x 150MVA & 2 x 60MVA 330/132/33kV Owerri Transmission Substation to Ak-AY Elektrik.
NDPHC disclosed this yesterday in a statement signed by its Media Adviser, Sanya Adejokun, however, informing that Lafia and the Nasarawa in Nasarawa State had been reconnected to the national grid.
The company said the Owerri substation’s transformers had been installed more than 10 years ago without them either being energised or even without adequate preservation.
It said the four power transformers were recently tested by experts, who recommended vacuum drying process to remove ingressed moisture trapped inside them.
According to NDPHC, it is, therefore, pertinent for them to first be uninstalled and transported to GTA Factory in Lagos for the oven drying and then delivered back to Owerri for final erection and energization.
The statement revealed that the Executive Director, Networks, NDPHC, Mr. IfeOluwa Oyedele, has already dispatched letters for the contract award to the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma; and Managing Director, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), intimating them of the development.
According to Oyedele “There was no attempt to steal the transformers. The Indians are workers of GTA, subcontractors to our EPC Contractor, Messrs. Ak-Ay Elektric, who went to take the transformers to their workshop for vacuum drying and testing”.
Oyedele also asked for the cooperation of citizens of Imo State at this time so that the contractor could immediately commence work and complete it in record time.
The statement, however, corrected a misunderstanding about the intention and status of the contractors as published by a section of the media at the weekend.
“We thank the Government and people of Imo State for their vigilance and sustained cooperation to ensure the protection and security of government properties and our workers”, Oyedele further said.
NDPHC, however announced that it has completed and energized the Lafia 2X150 MVA, 2X60 /132/33330kV Transmission Substation, thereby connecting Lafia and Nasarawa to national grid.
The NIPP 330/132/33kV Lafia Transmission Substation was awarded by the NDPHC in November 2016 while work commenced at the Akurba site in 2017.
NIPP is aimed at strengthening electricity infrastructure and improving supply nationwide.
The company said both the 2 x 150MVA 330/33kV Transformers T1 and T2 as well as the 75MVar Shunt Reactor (for Voltage Regulation/Control) were successfully energized on November 30, 2021.
It explained that on December 1, 2021, the 2 x 60MVA 132/33kV Transformers T3 & T4 were successfully energized.
Oyedele said the Lafia 330/132/33kV Substation was presently the newest of its kind in the grid and was equipped with state-of-the-art digital control and protection facilities, with fully functional Human-Machine-Interface (HMI) that enhances real-time operational flexibility, monitoring and control of all the Substation electrical variables.
Governor Abdullahi Sule, who witnessed the technical inauguration of the Transmission Substation, was quoted to have said that the Lafia Substation was successfully tested and connected to the grid and expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done.
The transmission substation has the capacity to deliver and meet 240MW of load demand.
Sule said, “The project will enhance and guarantee uninterrupted power supply to Nasarawa and its immediate surrounding States.
“Before now, even the Government House, Lafia could not run on electricity from the distribution network because the 33kV line that comes from Akwanga is grossly overloaded and inadequate to power the State capital and its environs.
“The project will also help to provide backfeed to FCT whenever necessary since FCT is being served from Shiroro and Geregu Power Stations,” he said.
Already, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has almost completed the reticulation of the distribution feeders that will ensure that residents of the state and its environs begin to immediately enjoy the full benefit of the completed Lafia Substation.
