Enugu begins construction of 3 New 33KV feeders in 4 LGAs

The Enugu state government has commenced construction on three new 33KV electricity feeders, aimed at resolving prolonged power outages and providing enhanced, stable, and reliable electricity to communities in four Local Government Areas (LGAs): Nkanu East, Nkanu West, Awgu, and Aninri. This development originates from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Station in Ugwuaji and is designed to improve power supply in the aforementioned areas.

The project was announced following a stakeholders' meeting on electricity held at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, over the weekend. The initiative seeks to address the long-standing issues associated with the Amechi 33KV feeder, the principal source of electricity for Nkanu East, Nkanu West, as well as Enugu South, Awgu, and Aninri LGAs in Enugu State.

This feeder, spanning over 600 kilometers, extends into three LGAs of Ebonyi State, and is identified as the longest 33KV feeder in the South-East. Its considerable length makes it challenging to identify and rectify faults, leading to persistent electricity disruptions across the served communities. At the event, Engr. Christopher Ezeoha, Managing Director and CEO of the Enugu State Electrification Agency (ESEA), stated that the state government opted to restructure the network instead of merely restoring the existing feeder.

Ezeoha indicated that new 33KV feeders would be constructed from the TCN Station at Ugwuaji, extending an existing short 33KV feeder, bringing the total number of new and extended feeders to three. The new feeders will specifically target improving electricity supply to Nkanu East and Nkanu West, while the Amechi feeder will be reconfigured to serve Awgu and Aninri.

He added that four new injection substations would be constructed in Nkanu East and Nkanu West to convert electricity from 33KV to 11KV, thereby strengthening the distribution network and enhancing the reliability of power supply in the affected areas. Ezeoha noted that certain communities, such as Nkerifi, Nara, and Mburubu, have been without electricity for over 20 years.

He emphasized that merely restoring the existing feeder would not offer a lasting solution due to its excessive length and the number of communities dependent on it. Ezeoha assured that the new arrangement would significantly reduce the length of individual feeders, accelerating fault detection and repairs, and improving the quality and duration of electricity supplied to the communities.

He anticipates that upon completion, residents will enjoy more than 20 hours of average daily power supply. The electricity intervention is part of a broader plan by Governor Peter Mbah's administration to establish a modern and commercially viable electricity market in the state. Ezeoha mentioned that the power improvement investments would initially be managed by a special-purpose vehicle, Enugu Electrification Agency Ltd., which would handle electricity distribution and marketing in Nkanu East and Nkanu West, with the long-term goal of taking over electricity distribution services across the entire Enugu State.