Nigeria has connected the recently completed 700 Megawatts Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant to the National Grid to boost electricity.
“Today the Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant has become a reality; we have as of today joined the grid with 700MW. Testing started Wednesday night.
“Information has reached us with the pictorial view of the meters showing us that the 700MW has gone on the grid,” the outgoing Minister for Power Abubakar Aliyu said during a farewell party for him and the Minister of State, Mr. Goddy Jedy-Agba by the Ministry of Power on Friday in Abuja.
The minister said that the Kashimbila Hydroelectric Power Project, a joint project with the Ministry of water resources had been completed.
He said phase one of the project which is the line taking electricity to Yandev in Benue over 240 kilometers, had been completed and inaugurated last week.
On the Siemens project, Mr Aliyu said that the ministry had installed transformers in Abuja, Ajah, Lagos, adding that 10 massive mobile substations had been cleared.
“We have 10 of them at the port and the first one is in Ajah sub-station and some are also on the sea coming, ‘’ he said.
Mr Aliyu also said that the ministry of power on Wednesday presented to the Federal Executive Council (FEC), a contract for over 13, 000kilometers distribution line.
He said that the contract was approved for the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI).
“One thing we should have in our minds is that these things don’t happen just at once, it is a process. These bring about delays of some of the projects, ‘’he said.
The minister urged all players in the industry to continue to work together in synergy to be able to achieve the desired results.
According to him, electricity is a value chain from generation to distribution, urging players to work in synergy.
Aliyu commended members of staff of the ministry and stakeholders in the sector, for the cordial working relationship.
He said that the ministers would not have achieved what they achieved without the support of the staff of the ministry.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Power, Jedy-Agba also thanked the staff for the working relationship that existed between them.
“It is a long journey but I enjoyed working with you all as you took directives from us and you implemented them, ‘’ he said.