The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, on Monday, assured residents in the seventeen northern States affected by power outage that power will be restored in 5 days time.
Recall that the seventeen northern States have been in darkness for weeks due to vandalization of the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line.
The Minister gave the assurance while Addressing State House correspondents after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja.
According to him, the power supply disruption in the northern region was caused by damage to the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line. This, he said, is the region’s primary source of electricity.
The Minister, however, assured that repairs would be completed within three to five days.
He said, “President Tinubu has directed the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, and the Chief of Air Staff to ensure the necessary security for those tasked with fixing the damaged line.
“With adequate security in place, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) staff and contractors can work confidently in the field.”
Adelabu, therefore, urged the residents of the northern States to be patient. Even as he promised that electricity would be restored soon.
The Minister also mentioned that the Federal Executive Council, FEC, had previously approved plans for upgrading the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line. The line is one of the oldest in the country.
“Once the upgrade is completed, the northern States can expect a more stable electricity supply than they currently experiencing.
Adelabu also pledged to hold a meeting with the Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and all Distribution Companies (DISCOs). He noted that the meeting is to ensure that customers in the North are not billed during the blackout period.
To future-proof the northern power supply, Adelabu outlined a plan for distributed solar power grids across the northern states. This is to leverage the region’s abundant sunlight.
“The Government has engaged contractors and financiers to install scalable solar plants of up to 100 megawatts per State. A move expected to bolster energy independence and reduce demand on the national grid.
“With over 10 hours of daily sunshine, solar power is a viable, sustainable solution for the North,” he said.
source: Daily Trust
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