FG Commissions 80MVA Substation to Boost Power Supply to Kano Industries

The Federal Government has commissioned an 80-megavolt-ampere (MVA) transmission substation at Walalambe in Kano State to ease electricity transmission constraints, strengthen supply to industrial areas and expand access to grid power for businesses.

The Minister of Power, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, commissioned the facility on Wednesday, October 21, on behalf of President Bola Tinubu.

The project comprises two 40MVA, 132/33-kilovolt transformers and six outgoing 33kV feeders designed to improve electricity delivery to Tokarawa Industrial Area, the Eastern Bypass, Maiduguri Road, Hadejia Road and adjoining communities.

According to the project details, the substation will also ease pressure on existing transmission infrastructure at Dakata and Dan-Agundi while providing alternative supply arrangements for four injection substations serving parts of Kano metropolis.

The four substations are located at Mariri, Jogana, Farm Centre and Zaria Road.

One of the major features of the project is a dedicated 33kV feeder for Lee Group of Companies, which has reportedly relied on off-grid electricity for more than 30 years.

The connection is expected to provide the company with a route to access electricity from the national grid, potentially reducing its dependence on private power generation and associated operating costs.

Speaking at the commissioning, Tegbe said the investment was aimed at strengthening infrastructure needed to support industrial production, business expansion and employment generation.

He noted that Kano’s commercial and industrial potential required reliable electricity infrastructure to enable businesses to increase production and sustain economic growth.

The minister described the facility as an additional route for delivering bulk electricity to industrial and commercial centres where dependable power supply is critical to business operations.

Walalambe was the first of four transmission projects commissioned in Kano on October 21. The other projects involved upgrades at Kumbotso, Dakata and Dan-Agundi substations.

The additional infrastructure is expected to improve network flexibility by providing electricity operators with more options for routing power and managing constraints affecting existing facilities.

However, the impact on consumers will depend on electricity generation availability, transmission network performance and the capacity of distribution infrastructure to deliver power to homes and businesses.

The commissioning does not automatically guarantee uninterrupted electricity supply or a specific increase in the number of hours of power available to consumers.

Tegbe commended the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO), Kano Electricity Distribution Company and Atlantic Engineering and Construction Company Limited for their contributions to the project.

He also acknowledged the World Bank for financing the Walalambe investment and praised Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for cooperating with the Federal Government on infrastructure development.

The minister urged residents of host communities to protect the facility against vandalism, warning that damage to electricity infrastructure could disrupt business activities and household life.

“Public infrastructure serves all of us, and its protection requires the vigilance of all of us,” he said.

The project adds 80MVA of transformation capacity to Kano’s electricity network, with its long-term benefits expected to depend on effective maintenance, adequate electricity generation and coordination among operators across the power sector.

For industrial operators and other electricity consumers, the key test will be whether the additional infrastructure translates into more reliable power supply, lower operating costs and improved economic activity.