Vandalism: Sambo urges protection of power facilities

Vice President Sambo

HOST communities of power stations have been told to protect such installations against vandals so as to reap the benefits for which the projects were built. Vice President Namadi Sambo gave the charge last weekend at the commissioning of the 330/132/33kv at Oke-aro, a border line community between Lagos and Ogun states, built under the National Integrated Power Project, NIPP, of the Niger Delta

Power Holding Company, NDPHC. He said, “I enjoin you all to solidify these great achievements in being patriotic by protecting these public assets entrusted in your care as part of your civic responsibility against misuse and vandalism. This is so that generations yet unborn will not only benefit from the project, but shall build on the legacies we have bequeathed unto them. It is only when these assets are preserved that our great efforts will be consolidated.”

The Vice President said, the Oke-aro substation, one of NIPP’s several interventions within Lagos and Ogun states was equipped with two large capacity 300MVA 330/132kV transformers. This makes it the station the first of its kind in the grid with a total transformation capacity of 600MVA at the 330kV level. Also, a 75MVAR 330kV shunt reactor was also installed for effective grid voltage control.

“At the 132kV level, 2nos 60MVA 132/33kV transformers were also installed providing a total of 120MVA transformation for bulk evacuation capacity into the 33kV distribution network in the immediate environment of Oke-aro. The station construction was completed with adequately rated bus bars; switchgear, automation as well as protection and control equipment to enable it cope with the high power flows associated with its specially rated high capacity transformers.

“In order to achieve the objective of Oke-Aro serving as a relief to Ikeja West, two of the 3nos 330kV evacuation lines from Egbin Power plant to Ikeja West were turned in and out of Oke-aro to effect connection of the substation to the grid. Oke-aro was thereafter successfully energised from the grid on 22nd May 2013. All these facilities have been handed over to TCN for operations,” he said.

Speaking on the level of power generation, Sambo said, “At present, the nation’s power generation level stands at 5,500MW of which NIPP contributes about 2,600mw, a record that stands out in the annals of the power sector history in Nigeria. “In its Phase II mandate, the Niger Delta Power Holding Company will vigorously pursue the construction of hydro-power plants mainly in the Northern axis to ensure a mixed grid distribution. “Currently, the company plans to construct new large and medium hydro-power dams and the provision of power components for 13 existing dams.