Nigeria to add 150MW of electricity to national grid by year-end – Power minister
At least 150 megawatts (MW) of electricity would be added to the national grid before the year ends to address its persistent collapse, the minister of power, Adebayo Adelabu, has said.
Adelabu who made this known to newsmen after a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the presidential villa in Abuja, said the upgrade would be made possible following the successful completion of the pilot phase of the presidential power initiative (PPI).
Adelabu said the initiative, which is being implemented in partnership with Siemens, intends to enhance Nigeria’s electricity supply through a series of strategic projects.
“We believe that before the end of the year, an additional 150 megawatts will be added upon completion of the entire pilot phase,” he said.
“We have a bilateral relationship with the Republic of Germany that focuses on energy and electricity support,” the minister said.
“The name of the game now is about cooperation, collaboration, and partnership.”
Adelabu noted that the Siemens project is a flagship component of the partnership, aimed at implementing both brownfield and greenfield transmission substations under the PPI.
The minister said since the agreement was signed in December 2023 during the 28th session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 28) in Dubai, Nigeria has made significant progress.
“We have completed the pilot phase of this project up to 80%,” he said.
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According to the minister, the pilot phase includes the importation and installation of 10 power transformers as well as 10 mobile substations — with eight already commissioned.
“The positive impact of this is that it has added nothing less than 750 megawatts to our transmission grid capacity,” he said.
Adelabu said the next phase would involve revamping 14 existing substations and establishing 23 new ones across the country.
“The entire grid is quite fragile and dilapidated. We need to revamp it to ensure stability going forward,” the minister said.
Source: TheCable
