Politically speaking, the state of power supply in Ondo and Ekiti states, especially their capitals of Akure and Ado-Ekiti, is very poor as both cities and environs receive power supply from 132KV Osogbo/Akure/Ado-Ekiti line, which is one of the lines currently available for system control during periods of stress. Also, the line is ageing and has limited capacity to satisfy the power demand of the rapidly growing population in areas that receive power supply through the line.
The good news however, is that the federal government is constructing a 330KV line from Ihovbor (Benin North)-Akure-Osogbo line with 330/132/33KV Akure substation completed and transformers installed and only waiting to be energized.
When completed, the line will introduce several advantages to grid operation, first of which is that it will complement the existing 330KV Benin-Ihovbor-Osogbo line and provide additional evacuation corridor for the Azura IPP and Ihovbor NIPP power stations. It should be stressed that the existing 330KV Benin-Ihovbor-Osogbo line is the only line connecting two critical nodes of Benin (receiving station for several generating stations in the South-South and linking the Eastern part of the country with the rest of the grid) and Osogbo (where the National Control Centre is domiciled). Also, this project will decongest Benin and Osogbo 330/132/33KV substations that are weak and ageing as some of their loads will be transferred to the new 330/132/33KV Akure substation. Additionally, the line will enhance system security by providing a redundancy as alternate route for power flow to the existing line during periods of stress and boost operational flexibility as any of the lines can easily be switched off for maintenance when necessary.
This is therefore a clarion call on Ondo and Ekiti states governments to put pressure on and collaborate with the federal government to complete this project so as to improve power supply in terms of quantity and quality to both state capitals and their environs as well as boost industrial and commercial activities in both locations.