Chinese firm completes major power project in Nigeria

ABUJA -- Chinese construction company Sinotec has completed a major power project in Nigeria which links the capital city, and expected to contribute immensely to the country's national grid.

The project, which included the construction of a 330 kilo volts (kv) new-built transformer substation, 132kv substation extension, 330kv transmission line and 132kv tubular poles, was commissioned on Monday by Nigeria's Vice President Namadi Sambo.

Designed to be one of the biggest substations in the West African country, the project, located in Gwagwalada city of Abuja, was completed within 14 months after the site work commenced, Sinotec's deputy managing director, Bu Songbo, said at the commissioning ceremony.

"We have completed many projects in the past 10 years (in Nigeria). However, this is the only one which covered so many types of work scope," the company manager said.

Chinedu Nebo, Nigeria's minister of power, described the project, executed under the National Integrated Power Project scheme, as "a very critical link in the national grid" of Africa's most populous country.

He said the Niger Delta Power Holding Company of Nigeria, which constructed the facility through Sinotec, will be in its second phase of the project, focus mainly on the construction of hydro power plants in northern Nigeria to assure a mixed grid distribution of power.

"All these will contribute immensely to the national grid," said Sambo, noting he commissioned a similar power project six days ago in the north central state of Benue.

The Gwagwalada power transmission substation, the Nigerian official added, will get supply from two stations, Geregu and Ajaokuta, both located in the north central state of Kogi.