The Federal Government has approved multi-billion naira contracts to boost power supply in Daura, Katsina State, Yobe State, and other parts of the country.

The Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, made the disclosure while speaking to journalists after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday, May 24.

Daura is the hometown of President Buhari.

Aliyu said: “Council approved award of contract for the engineering procurement, construction, and financing on the implementation of 330 KV and 132 kV line transmission lines and 33 KV, 11 KV, and 400 PE distribution line project under phase 1 of the presidential power initiatives.”

He revealed that the project was awarded in favour of two contractors in the sum total of $581,629,355.93, inclusive of 7.5 per cent, at the prevailing exchange rate with a period of completion of 36 months.

“The recipient companies for lot one, from DL from Benin and Enugu DisCos, Messes SLD electric.

”Then, Lot DM 3 Abuja, Jos, Kano, Kaduna DISCOS, Messrs China civil engineering construction cooperation totaling distance of around 13,000 kilometers for the two LOT and it has been graciously approved by council,” the minister added.

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Aliyu further disclosed that the council approved the award of contract for the construction of 750 kilowatt solar PV power plant at the headquarters of where TCN is also situated in the sum of N1.6 billion with completion period of six months.

He said: “Council also approved routine maintenance for the Transmission Company of Nigeria.

“The council approved contract for the upgrading of the substation in Potiskum town in Yobe State with 132 power transformer.

“It is an existing substation, which has been there for a very long time with only one transformer and it serves a lot of areas around Potiskum.

“It is the largest town in the state with a very huge population and is the hub for commerce and transportation.

“So, with this upgrade, Potiskum will become a hub for electricity transmission and distribution.

“The other component of it is the line bringing additional line from Damaturu. Before now, the line is coming from Gombe, which is over 200 kilometers. It is a 132 single line coming into Potiskum to power the substation.

“So, having now 330 substitution in Damaturu, that makes it easier and more prudent to take electricity from Damaturu to Potiskum over a distance of 120 kilometers. Because the longer you take the electricity on a 132 line, you get low quality of electricity.”

The minister added that the council equally approved the construction of two by 60 MBA and 132 line a transmission substation at Sapade in Ogun State, at a total cost of a foreign component $10.2 million and local component of N3.3 billion.

“The third one is the supply and installation of 33 KV substation equipment at Emirate Katsina State, in favor of eases Power Deal Construction limited in the sum of N4 billion,” Aliyu said.

The Star