Additional 40 megawatts of electricity generation from the Kashimbilla hydro power plant would facilitate the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Taraba and Benue States, Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has said.
The Minister announced on Thursday that the National grid may soon receive a major boost with the addition of 40MW capacity from the power plant.
Immediate surrounding communities in Taraba State, especially those displaced by the Dam construction are already benefiting from the 10 megawatts currently being distributed directly from the plant.
Speaking during an inspection tour of the hydro power plant located in Taraba State and the 56 km, 132KV transmission line from Yandev to Makurdi in Benue State, the Minister said the Kashimbilla Power plant with its state-of-the art technology, including automated tracking and monitoring system (SCADA), was already working effectively.
Adelabu who also visited the 132/33KV substation in Amua, Gboko Local government area in Benue State said the four turbines installed in Kashimbilla power plant were working perfectly well and generating 100 percent of their installed capacity.
The power plant, he said, has an installed capacity of 40MW, although only 10MW was being evacuated at the moment.
He said the inspection visit was to ensure accelerated completion of the facilities to ensure the remaining 30MW would soon be evacuated.
“We have begun the process and we have the assurance of the Contractors that this would be completed within the next six months to one year”, he said.
Once the evacuation infrastructure was completed, the Minister said four turbines would effectively evacuate the 40MW.
“The moment we are done with the evacuation infrastructure, the stranded 30MW will be evacuated. The entire four turbines will be working at full capacity of 10MW each to make 40MW and this will increase the generation capacity that will be evacuated into the national grid”, he said.
Expressing displeasure that 30MW was stranded, the Minister said it was not economically good for the country, hence the need to ensure the accelerated completion of the evacuation infrastructure.
He reiterated the fact that the project was in line with the renewed hope agenda of Mr. President in ensuring that electricity was taken to every nooks and crannies of the country.
Adelabu said more effort was geared towards improving power generating capacity across the power plants, assuring that the government would continue to work on strengthening and expanding the capacity of the transmission grid to ensure that as more power was generated could actually be wheeled to the national grid.
“We are working on the infrastructure so that the electricity distribution companies (DISCos) have enough to distribute to electricity consumers”, he said.
The Kashimbilla project is in two phases, with the first phase already 100 percent completed, including 2x60MVA substations in Takumand Wukari Local government areas, and 2×7.5MVA sub-station in Donga local government area, Taraba State.
The phase two includes the construction of the 56km transmission lines, construction of 132/33KVA substation in Yandev, Benue State where the generated power would be wheeled to the National grid, 330KVA substation in Makurdi, construction of 2 x 60MVA substations in Ugba in Benue State, including the associated switching stations at Zaki Biam, Anyii and Buruku in Benue State.
Also speaking during the visit, the Managing Director of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Sule Ahmed Abdulazeez said efforts were being made to ensure the 132KV transmission line from Yandev to Apir in Markudi, was completed.
“By the time the transmission line is ready, we can evacuate all the power from the Kashimbilla plant”, he said.
On the 2nd phase of the evacuation, the Director, Renewable and Rural Access Department, Abubarka Ali-Dapshima said the scope was to evacuate the 40MW completely to the grid.
“The beautiful thing about this project is that it is a renewable energy project which has the ability to mitigate the issues of climate change”, he said.
