FG set to commission 10mw Katsina wind power

The Federal Government is set to commission a section of the 10 megawatts (mw) Katsina Wind Power Plant by the end of March, Daily Trust reports.

The project began in 2010 and became stalled after a French contractor was abducted. Officials reported that it was 95 per cent completed in 2015, but checks revealed that it was not.

Briefing officials of the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing and a delegation from the Katsina State Government, the Consultant and Assistant Project Manager for O.T. Otis Engineering, Pius Onyenagubo, said the plant could come alive this month.

He said installation of 15 wind turbines was 100 per cent completed, while the team awaited materials in a few weeks to fully install 19 other turbines.

“The 15 fully installed turbines will be commissioned by the end of March while the others will be commissioned by the end of the year,” he said.

During the assessment of the project’s site, the officials said nine of the 15 installed turbines were operational and could deliver 4.5mw, while six others require some maintenance work to be done within the week.

Four of the uninstalled turbines are said to have been vandalised by suspected locals of Tankers’ area of the state with most of the wires carted away.

When operational, the generated power will be sent through the Liyafa Injection Substation and will supply electricity to nearby communities.

The Director, Energy Resources at the ministry (Power), Olatunbosun Owoeye, said the ministry would hold the contractor accountable to deliver while government would clear outstanding payments and provide access road to facilitate the entire completion this year.

Responding, the Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Energy and Power, Engr. Mansur Mohammed Musa, re-assured of their commitment to see the project commissioned.