Fidelis David in Akure
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has disclosed that the Akure feeding scheme project which consists of 330kV/132kV/33kV transmission sub-station would be ready for inauguration before the end of 2022.
The company said it would help ameliorate the prolonged power crisis in Ondo, Ekiti and neighbouring states.
The Executive Director, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Engr. Victor Adewumi, disclosed this while speaking with journalists at the weekend in Akure.
According to him, if the transmission substation would be installed, it would help strengthen power supply in Ondo and Ekiti States
He added: “We are here in Akure, Ondo State at the instance of the Minister of Power, Engr. Abubakar Aliu. This transmission sub-station is one of the projects that he has taken as priority project that he wants to commission before the end of this year. “If you look around now, you will see that this substation has been ready for the past years but we could not commission it because the transmission line that was supposed to power the substation from Osogbo via Akure to Benin is not yet ready.
“We have been having a lot of issues on the corridor of that line which we have always said is one singular factor because nobody wants to give their land out and even where they allowed you to use their land for the transmission line to pass through their land, they demanded for a ridiculous amount of money. At times, the money they demanded is even five times of the entire project.
“But the Minister in his wisdom when he came he had a meeting with the governors’ forum and told them physically how he wants them to assist him. So if the governors are ready to assist us the problem of right of ways issue will become things of pass.
“This particular substation is one of the priority project that we want to commission before end of this year. So we are here basically to access the situation and give back the situation we met the substation to the Minister when we get back to Abuja,” Adewumi stressed.
Speaking on the partnership between the TCN and the Ondo state government on the substation, Adewumi said it had been cordial and impressive.
“Recently, the Ondo state government has been assisting us, I can say now that our relationship is very cordial. The present Commissioner for Energy in the state had been able to assist us in solving the most critical part of the way, the Ilara-Mokin area. As I speak, the contractor in charge had been mobilised backed to the site to work,” he added.
