Hope for an improvement in Nigeria’s power supply was rekindled on Saturday as the federal government has disclosed that the mega transformers it ordered under the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) have successfully undergone a factory acceptance test.
A statement from the Federal ministry of power said that the first batch of the shipments, which are expected to be made from the Siemens’ transformers factory in Trento, Italy, would start arriving in Nigeria from September this year.
The Managing Director of the Federal Government of Nigeria Power Company (FGN-Power), Mr Kenny Anuwe, who led a delegation that included engineers from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), witnessed the factory acceptance test conducted on Thursday in Europe.
In the statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, on Media, Mr Isa Sanusi noted that the acceptance test has paved the way for Siemens Energy to start delivering the transformers to Nigeria.
The development is coming after Aliyu had led a delegation to Germany in April, where he paid visits to Siemens Energy factories in Berlin and Frankfurt, and held meetings with the senior leadership of Siemens Energy.
He engaged the company on the need to fast-track the delivery of the early orders that it said would kick-start the transformation of Nigeria’s electricity.
“The successful factory acceptance test shows Nigeria’s engagement with Siemens Energy is on track. It also shows the federal government’s commitment to addressing Nigeria’s electricity challenges,” said the minister.
In December 2021, the Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed and Aliyu secured the approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for €63 million for the procurement of equipment to boost power supply under the PPI.
The first phase is expected to provide 10 mobile power substations and 10 mega transformers that will be deployed across the country to boost and stabilise electricity supply, the government stated.
In 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari initiated the PPI to enable Siemens Energy to upgrade Nigeria’s electricity systems.
The first phase of the PPI seeks to modernise, rehabilitate and expand the national grid by investing in the electricity value chain, including generation, transmission and distribution systems.
“On 28 July 2022, a team of Nigerian engineers led by the MD of Federal Government Power Company Mr Kenny Anuwe witnessed the factory acceptance test of the mega transformers ordered by the federal government under the first phase of the Presidential Power Initiative.
“The factory acceptance test was conducted at Siemens Energy factory in Trento, Italy. The transformers will start arriving in Nigeria in September. In December 2021, the Federal Executive Council approved €63 million for realising the partnership between the Nigerian government and Siemens Energy.
“The Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) was set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to engage the global energy giant, Siemens of Germany for the upgrade and modernisation of Nigeria’s electricity value chain to deliver stable electricity across the country.
“On electricity supply, the federal government is committed to improvement and will not be distracted,” the minister wrote separately on his Twitter handle.
In February, Aliyu inaugurated the Project Management Office (PMO) to oversee the implementation of segments of the Siemens power deal.
Aliyu, who charged the new team to be up and doing in the discharge of their duties, informed the gathering that members were carefully selected based on competence and technical background.
The project is to provide power to Nigerians in three phases of 7,000MW, 11,000MW and 25,000MW between now and 2025 under the federal government’s initiative to supply reliable power to the national grid.
The minister who chronicled the progress made so far said the deal had culminated in a signed agreement with the German technology firm under the former German Chancellor, Angela Merkel.
While explaining the composition of the members of the PMO, the minister said that independent experts were selected to be supported by nominees of statutory agencies.
According to him, the team’s competence to run the project had been proven, assuring them of his support as the chairman of the technical and regulatory board of the presidential initiative.
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
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