…facility commissioned 6 months after installation
…TCN to connect Ajah mobile substation to EKEDC network
Oredola Adeola
Six months after the successfully installation, the 1x 63 MVA, 132/33KV Mobile Substation at Ajah Transmission Substation, Lagos State, under the Phase 1 of the Nigeria-Siemens Presidential Power Initiative, has been officially commissioned for onward integration into the national grid and distribution network, to ease the age-longed power crisis in Lekki-Ajah axis.
This was the major highlight during the official inauguration of the mobile substation by Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of Power, on Thursday, at the TCN substation in Ajah, coinciding with the simultaneous commissioning of the 132/33kv mobile substation in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State.
Advisors Reports recall that the 1x 63 MVA, 132/33KV Mobile Substation at Ajah Transmission Substation, Lagos State, was successfully installed and energized in November 2023, and has since been awaiting the official commissioning by the Minister of Power.
These two facilities are part of the first set of 20 transformers and substations (10 Power Transformers and 10 Mobile Substations) that are being delivered and deployed in the first phase of the Nigeria-Siemens PPI.
In his remark at the event, Chief Adelabu explained that the two equipment being inaugurated and finally connected to the grid would boost Nigeria’s transmission wheeling capacity by 123MegaWatts.
According to him, the FGNPC mobile substation represented a strategic deployment aimed at improving the transmission capacity constraints by over 13000MW across the nation with its strategic placement at key sites such as Okene, Amukpe, Potiskum, Apo, Ajah, Benin Kebbi.
He also affirmed that the official takes off of the projects signifies the Bola Tinubu administration’s efforts to enhance transmission efficiency and guarantee reliable electricity nationwide.
He said, “This would not only serve as the catalyst for capacity enhancement within the country’s transmission network but also stands as a beacon of hope for the business and household reliant on uninterrupted power supply.
“The versatility of this mobile substation cannot be overstated. From addressing major load centers to serving as a stopgap measure during maintenance and emergencies, its flexibility ensures swift responses to fluctuating power demands, thereby contributing to uninterrupted service delivery.
Adelabu therefore appealed to residents of the Ajah-Lekki axis who would be benefiting from the facility to be committed to protecting the assets against vandals.
Kenny Anuwe, Managing Director FGN, in his comment concerning the Ministerial commissioning of the project said that the event is a significant step towards the improvement of TCN’s wheeling capacity.
He said the official commission of the 63MVA, 132/33kV in Ajah, Lagos State and a 60MVA at Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, part of the larger effort under the PPI to modernize and rehabilitate Nigeria’s power infrastructure.
According to him, both equipment will collectively boost the transmission wheeling capacity to 123MW, which will lead to an improved electricity supply for households and businesses Ajah and its environs.
Mr. Anuwe assured that the Ajah mobile substation plays a vital role in facilitating quick deployment to close up the country’s power deficit.
Advisors Reports can confirm that the successful installation and energization of the Mobile Substation would ease the age-longed power crisis in Ajah, LBS, Sangotedo Abijoh, Awoyaya, Oribanwo, Lakowe, Bogije, Kajola, Igondo, Eleko, Iberekodo, Orimedu, Akodo, Magbon Alade, Refinery, Lekki Idasho, Badore, Idasho, Folu and the rest of other villages in the Eleko environs.
Advisors Reports is at the moment awaiting Mr. Babatunde Lasaki, General Manager, Corporate Communications Department, EKEDC, comment for details about the impact the transformer has on the power crisis in the axis.
Meanwhile, checks by our Advisors Reports showed that the Minister of Power, in February 2024, commissioned five state projects in Okene in Kogi State, Amukpe in Delta State, Potiskum in Yobe State, Apo in Abuja, and Ihovbor in Edo State, collectively under the phase 1 of the PPI, which has then amplified the transmission wheeling capacity by 272 megawatts.
The Nigeria-Siemens Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) project aimed at delivering 25GW of electricity to consumers across Nigeria from the current average of around 4,500 MW, through a series of projects spanning three phases.
The Phase 1 of the project, which is currently underway, focuses on increasing end-to-end operational capacity from approximately 5GW to 7GW of power generation.
Advisors Reports further gathered that there are several projects yet to be commissioned under the phase including transmission, distribution, National Metering Systems (MDMS), Power Stimulations for Nigeria (PSS4N), and training.
These are expected to be executed through the reinforcement of existing transmission and distribution assets, which involves upgrading existing substations, and the installation of new substations and transformers.
The other projects include the deployment of smart metering systems, preparation and network development studies for phases 1 & 2, and training on products installed.
