RSG To Spend N6bn On Power

The Rivers State Commissioner for Power, Hon Augustine Nwokocha, says the state will witness a quantum leap in power supply before the end of the year.

Hon Nwokocha gave the indication recently at a media  conference to mark the official signing of contract by Schneider at the Trans-Amadi Gas Turbine station, Port Harcourt.

He disclosed that Schneider, a French electrical firm had been awarded contract worth N6billion for the building of 28 substations with medium voltage level in the state before the end of the year.

The power commissioner who noted that the state government had released all the money meant for the project and mobilised the contractor, saying when completed, 541 megawatts would be available for consumption.

According to him, “I am believing that by the end of the year, the issue of power outage in the state will be over”

He explained that power was a catalyst to economic development of the state, but regretted that the Federal Government had not given the state the right to distribute the power it is generating.

Hon Nwokocha said, “please join me to appeal to the Federal Government to make good its promise to privatise power distribution so that our people will not live in darkness,” assuring that the state would create a local grid to ensure efficient power supply.

Speaking, the Senior Vice President of Schneider in Africa, Mr Guillaume Schoebel who described the contract as a first step to a long collaboration, pointed out that Schneider had a social responsibility to bring electricity to the people in the villages that were not connected to the national grid.

Mr Schoebel disclosed that Schneider would establish centres in the state to fast-track installation and transfer experience, noting that local engineers and technicians would be used for the different jobs.