The federal government on Thursday said that the entire 40mw Kashimbilla hydropower plant in Taraba state will in the next six months begin full evacuation, distinct from the 10mw it’s currently supplying to the national grid.
When this is done, the government said the grid would get a major boost with the addition of 30 megawatts from the power plant.The new addition, a statement in Abuja from Bolaji Tunji, spokesman to the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, said, is expected to facilitate the development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Taraba and Benue states.
Surrounding communities in Taraba State, especially those displaced by the Dam construction, it stressed, are already benefitting from the 10mw currently being distributed directly from the 40mw capacity plant.
Speaking during an inspection tour of the plant in Taraba as well as the 56km, 132KV transmission line from Yandev to Makurdi in Benue state, Adelabu said the Kashimbilla power plant with its “state-of-the-art” technology which includes an automated tracking and monitoring system or SCADA, is now working effectively.Adelabu who also visited the 132/33KV substation in Amua, Gboko Local government area, Benue state revealed that the four turbines installed in Kashimbilla power plant were working perfectly and generating 100 per cent of the installed capacity.
The power plant, he said, has an installed capacity of 40mw, but noted that only 10mw is presently being evacuated.Adelabu said: “This inspection visit is to ensure accelerated completion of the facilities in order to ensure the remaining 30mw is evacuated. We have begun the process and we have the assurance of the contractors that this would be completed within the next six months to one year.”
Speaking further, the minister said once the evacuation infrastructure is completed, the four turbines would evacuate the 40mw effectively.
“The moment we are done with the evacuation infrastructure, the stranded 30mw will be evacuated, the entire four turbines will be working at full capacity of 10mw each to make 40mw and this will increase the generation capacity that will be evacuated into the national grid,” he added.
Expressing displeasure that 30mw is stranded, the minister said it is not economically good for the country, hence the need to ensure the accelerated completion of the evacuation infrastructure.
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