By Elizabeth Uwandu
The Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, yesterday, commissioned its first offshore substation in Ilashe Island, Oriade Local Government Development Area (LCDA), in Lagos State.
The project being the first offshore-based project wholly executed by TCN engineers in Nigeria aimed to deliver about 24 Megawatts, MW, power to Ilashe, Ibese, Ikare, Igbologun and Ilado Odo communities.
At the commissioning of a brand new 1x30MVA/132/33KV transmission Substation, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, said: “Ilashe is a gift and a historic island part of a peninsula that is 120km stretches from Badagry and Epe.
“It lies between the Atlantic Ocean and lagoon, which few places have that kind of landmark. Ilade, Oriade have existed here for hundreds of years and people have found them out and they have been host to tourism attraction, activities, but electricity has been missing.
“The connect of electricity over the lagoon was handled by staff in TCN while making adequate efforts not to interfere with the natural navigation over the lagoon.
“What we expect is reduced cost of doing business and less usage of generators, under the franchise of Eko Distribution Company because we have introduced a transmission handshake, and we expect to see reduced cost of business,”
Recall that TCN through the support of the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, in December 2017, set to site a 132/33kv substation at Ilashe, Kobena, in Oriade Local Council Development Area of Lagos State.
The move was for expansion and growth of tourism in Lagos State, and Nigeria in general, while also aimed at providing adequate power supply.
“In December 2017, the General Manager (Transmission), Lagos Region of TCN, Engr. Geoffrey Nwokeye, inaugurated a Taskforce of In-House Engineers headed by Engr. L.I. Adebola.
In his remark, Gur Muhammed, Managing Director, TCN, noted that “TCN used to be the weak link in the power value chain, we are not saying we have solved our problems, but we have plans on how to solve the problems.
“The project was done by TCN engineering staff, when we asked some contractor for an estimate for this project, we were given over one billion. However, the project was completed and commissioned with just N150 million.
On his part, Oba Abdulfatai Adisa, the royal majesty of Ilashe said: “I do not know that this will be possible. Even after approving three hectares of land to them, I thought it will take 10 years when it started.
“This is a good development to my community and we are thoroughly happy that we can finally see electricity in our homes.”
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