Prior to 2009 when late President Umaru Yaradua commissioned the Ganmo 330/132/33KV transmission station (with 2 X 150MVA 330/132/33KV and 2 X 60MVA 132/33KV power transformers), which is one of the National Independent Power Projects (NIPP), the Kwara state capital Ilorin and environs were experiencing erratic and epileptic power supply that was also of poor quality.
The existing transmission station was the old 132/33Kv Sawmill TS that received power supply from the 132/33KV Osogbo/Offa/Omuaran/Ilorin line. One feature of this line was that it was among the few lines available to correct the system frequency at the National Control Centre (NCC) that uses the line during real time operation to stabilize the system by taking it out whenever the system frequency is observed to be declining and this operation affects power supply to Ilorin and environs.
The Kwara state government under Dr. Bukola Saraki intervened and took positive measures to facilitate the completion of the project that was almost abandoned. This has impacted positively in the industrial, commercial and domestic lives of Kwarans who were elated with this development and have given encouraging testimonies.
The support given by the state government towards the completion of the Ganmo 330/132/33KV substation is laudable and worthy of emulation by other sub nationals within Nigeria by showing greater interests in ongoing power projects within their domain and even initiating new ones in order to improve the quality of life of their people.
One of such projects that is in urgent need of such intervention is the ongoing Benin North/Akure/Osogbo 330KV line, which when completed, will boost power supply to Ondo and Ekiti states that presently receive power supply from the 132KV Osogbo/Akure/Ado-Ekiti line. It is worthy of note that the 330KV Akure substation is ready and only waiting to be energized on completion of the stringing of the line. Therefore, both Ondo and Ekiti states should put pressure and give necessary support towards the actualization of the project regardless of what is slowing down the progress of work- be it right of way (ROW) or funding issues.
With the approval by the federal government of sixteen power transmission projects some of which are located at Saki, Oyo, Oke-agbe, Ikare, 132KV double-circuit line at Ikere-Ijesa-Isu-Ilupeju towns in Ekiti state, state governments should show more interest in such ongoing power projects so as to boost economic activities and make life more meaningful for their citizens.
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