Energy

Ekiti independent power station begins 24-hour operation

The Ekiti State Government has commenced the test-run of the Independent Power Project (IPP) to boost electricity supply in the state.

This was made known by the Ekiti State Commissioner for Infrastructure, Prof. Bolaji Aluko, in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

The power station, which was initiated by former Governor Kayode Fayemi’s administration and completed by Governor Biodun Oyebanji, was one in the series of interventions to address challenges in electricity supply to the state.

Akiko said the project had been tested successfully for two weeks with 700kw distributed so far out of the 3.5megawatts.

The commissioner stated that the test, which covered Governor’s Office, Government House, State Secretariat Complex, House of Assembly Complex, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), and streetlights along major roads in Ado-Ekiti, would be expanded to cover private concerns on a willing buyer and willing seller basis.

Also speaking on the project, the Technical Director of Ekiti IPP Limited, Odunayo Lanre-Bamodu, said the power station was fully in operation, noting that it had been working perfectly for about two weeks.

Lanre-Bamodu, an engineer, added that government facilities across Ado-Ekiti were benefiting from the electricity source, saying the project runs a 24-hour uninterrupted power supply.

She said the project is a metropolitan power source with 11 kilometres underground distribution network as well as several substations and Ring Main Units (RMUs), two generating sets of 1.5MW and 1.25MW, totalling 2.65MW in place for the power plant, adding that there is room for expansion.

She said the Ekiti IPP Limited has been training people to impact and transfer knowledge, adding that indigenous youths would benefit from the project in form of job opportunities and acquisition of knowledge.

The Star