Abia Spends N1.5bn On Power Evacuation

Abia State government spent N1.5 billion to evacuate power from the 132/33 KV substation at Ohiya, near Umuahia, an official has said.

The Special Adviser on Political Matters to Gov. Theodore Orji, Chief Tony Ukasanya said this on Friday, when he conducted journalists round the sub-station.

He said that power from the 33 KV equipment was evacuated to five feeder stations at Afara, Ubakala, Ntigha, Nkwoegwu and Obowo near Umuahia.

Ukasanya, who supervised the exercise, said that it was completed on March 29, adding that it would solve over 70 per cent of the power need of the area.

The governor’s aide, who expressed delight over the successful evacuation, added that the development had improved electricity supply in Umuahia, the state capital.

He explained that construction work was still going on at Mbalano and Ohafia 132 KV substations, adding that Arochukwu had got its 33 KV from Itu in Akwa Ibom.

The Special Adviser expressed optimism that the project would stimulate economic and industrial activities in the state.

He commended the Federal and State Governments for their efforts in completing the project, which, he said, was awarded in 2001.

An electrical engineer Mr Chukwunonye Okafor with Valence Holding Company, a Lagos-based firm that handled the evacuation, said that the company had completed its job.

Okafor explained that the company had also completed the test-running of the project and handed it over to the Power holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

He said that the substation was set to transmit 132 KV to Mbalano and Ohafia.

He said that with the completion of the power evacuation from the 330 KV at Alaoji, near Aba, epileptic power supply in the state ‘’has become a thing of the past”.

‘’People can now enjoy uninterrupted power supply in Umuahia 24 hours of the day,’’ he assured.