The reconductoring of the new 130KM 132kV double circuit Sokoto – Birnin Kebbi Transmission Line has been completed, said the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
In a statement on Saturday, TCN General Manager (Public Affairs), Mrs Ndidi Mbah, disclosed that the transmission line was energised at about 4:35pm on Tuesday.
“The new high capacity 132KV transmission line which affects/ transverses 405 towers along the Birnin Kebbi – Sokoto line route, now transmits about 170MW, which is more than double the 70MW capacity previously transmitted by the decommissioned old 132kV transmission line,” she said.
The TCN spokesperson added, “The new 132KV transmission line has solved the low voltage and attendant poor power situation that used to be prevalent in the Sokoto axis, as TCN is now enabled to substantially transmit increased bulk power electricity to Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO)’s distribution load centres in Sokoto State and environs.”
She explained that the new development would enable KEDCO to deliver more stable and quality power to its customers in that axis.
Prior to the reconductoring of the line, Mbah noted that the Sokoto – Birnin Kebbi 132KV transmission line was overloaded due to increased demand, arising from the massive increase in human population and attendant socio-economic activities in the area.
She, however, stated that the new transmission line has solved the problem of overloading and suppressed load, adding that it has ample capacity for anticipated load increase.
The project began in November 2020 and was carried out in phases, in order to ameliorate the effect of scheduled outages on electricity consumers during the period.
According to the TCN spokesperson, some areas did not experience outage through the period as they were back-fed through another line.
“We are sincerely grateful to the government and good people of Sokoto State and Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, for their patience and cooperation during the period of the transmission line reconductoring,” she said.
