Fashola to commission 80MVA Yauri substation abandoned since 11 years ago

The minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, will this week commission the 80MVA Yauri transmission substation in Kebbi state which was abandoned by the contractors after it was started in December 2007.

The 132/33KV substation completed by the in-house engineers of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has two units of 40MVA transformers. While one of the transformers has been energized, the other is being tested and will be energized ahead of the commissioning.

For over 11 years, residents of Yauri Emirate, mainly along the River Niger and hosting the reservoir for Kainji Hydropower dam have decried the inadequate power supply in the area.

TCN noted that when it took over the Yauri substation project, installations were only about 50 percent level after the contractor failed to complete it since December 2007.

However, TCN in-house engineers completed the substation within three months.

The General Manager, Public Affairs of TCN, Mrs Ndidi Mbah said, “The new Yauri 2x40MVA 330/33kV Transmission Substation was first awarded in December, 2007 but the contractor failed persistently to complete the contract for 11 years. Consequently, TCN took over the project on the May 2018 and completed it.”

With the substation, electricity supply to customers of Kaduna Electric would record significant improvement across Yauri, Zuru, Koko, Shanga and Wara in Kebbi State.

TCN said Ibeto, Nasko, and Salka communities in Niger State will also benefit from the power supply improvement.

The company said since February 2017, the in-house engineers have taken over abandoned projects from contractors and had commissioned 40 transformers across its substations in Damaturu, Kukwaba, Wudil, and Mayo Belwa.