…Sets Six-Month Completion Targets for Mashi
The Honourable Minister of Power, Engr. Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Friday inaugurated the construction of a new 2 × 60 MVA, 132/33 kV transmission substation in Garo town, Mashi Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The Minister presided over the groundbreaking ceremony, which was attended by the Governor of Katsina State, Mallam Dikko Umaru Radda.
Tegbe revealed during the foundation-laying ceremony that the Federal Government, through the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), would fund the new Mashi Substation Project.
“I commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his steadfast commitment to the power sector reset and Nigeria’s development agenda.
“His Renewed Hope Agenda recognises that economic ambition requires dependable infrastructure. By supporting investments in Mashi, Mr President is laying stronger foundations for enterprise, employment and prosperity across our communities in every part of Nigeria: North, South East and West.
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“We have had two very interesting and exciting days in Kano and Katsina.
“There are a lot of projects that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, is undertaking in the Northern part of the country to boost electricity, and he has insisted that every Nigerian must have access to electricity to improve business activities and economic well being.
“We will continue to do all that we have to do to make this possible. The 2x100MVA, 132/33kV power transformers in the GIS Katsina Substation come with a lot of benefits; therefore, I will implore the TCN MD, the contractors and everyone involved in this project to ensure that it is completed, if possible,e before March 2027, the proposed time of completion, so that we can come and commission this project with that of the 2x60MVA, 132/33kV Mashi Transmission Substation whose groundbreaking ceremony we just finished.
“Today, we break ground in Mashi to build electricity infrastructure that supports livelihoods and gives this community greater opportunities to grow,” Tegbe said.
He called the Katsina works “significant investments by the Federal Government in Katsina’s electricity infrastructure”, built to give industry and small businesses in the North-West a stronger transmission network to draw on.
He explained that the project, being executed by the Transmission Company of Nigeria, would provide 120 MVA of combined capacity, equivalent to about 96 MW, to improve bulk power supply to Mashi and its environs.
He charged TCN, the contractor and supervising engineers to ensure quality delivery and urged residents to protect the facility against vandalism.
He called on Mashi residents to cooperate with the construction team, protect the facility and report suspicious activities around the project site to safeguard the infrastructure and facilitate its timely completion.
“To the people of Mashi, your partnership remains essential during construction and after commissioning. Support safe access to the site and, once built, protect the substation and its associated lines. Report suspicious activities promptly to TCN or security agencies. These assets will serve your businesses, your neighbours and your children; safeguarding them protects your own community’s future.” He stressed.
He urged all institutions involved to ensure that the groundbreaking ceremony translated into measurable progress, while keeping the host community informed throughout the construction and commissioning process.
Regarding the project timeline, the contract was signed on 24 March 2023, with a duration of 24 months. The original completion date was August 2025, but this has now been revised to 31 March 2027.
At the inauguration, the Minister noted that issues relating to the wayleave and compensation for Project Affected Persons (PAPs) had been resolved satisfactorily. He confirmed that all compensation for the land and equipment involved in the project had been paid before construction began.
According to him, the station would greatly help solve the problem of power shortages and outages in Mashi and the surrounding areas, and would support economic development for farmers, traders and industries in the area.
The project will add 120 MVA of transformer capacity, equivalent to 96 MW, to the grid.
Speaking earlier, MD/CEO of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, Engr Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, said the substation would address years of poor electricity supply and low voltage that had affected households, businesses and farming activities in Mashi.
According to him, the project includes construction of the substation, installation of protection and control panels, and civil infrastructure to improve bulk power delivery through Kano Electricity Distribution Company. He said the increase in transmission capacity would improve power supply within Katsina and its environs.
Meanwhile, Governor Radda of Katsina State thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the Mashi transmission project. He gave the commendation at the groundbreaking ceremony. He said the substation is a major investment that will improve electricity supply and boost economic activity in Mashi and neighbouring communities.
“On behalf of the government and people of Katsina State, I sincerely appreciate Mr. President for bringing these important projects to our state,” the governor said.
Governor Radda also commended the Minister of Power for his support and for the collaboration between the Federal Government and the Katsina State Government on the proposed 10-megawatt hybrid renewable energy project.
He disclosed that solar panels and other components for the 10 MW project had already arrived in Nigeria and expressed optimism that the Mashi substation would be delivered by March 2027 as scheduled.
The groundbreaking ceremony marked the official commencement of construction work on the Mashi Substation Project. Other dignitaries at the event included the Chief of Staff, Abdulkadir Mamman Nasir; Chairman of Mashi LGA, Salisu Kallah Dan Kada; the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Power; representatives of NISO and KEDCO; traditional rulers; and community leaders.
The project contract includes design, manufacture and installation.
Kankia Substation:
Meanwhile, the Minister also unveiled two 60 MVA, 132/33 kV power transformers in Kankia Local Government Area as part of efforts to strengthen the state’s electricity infrastructure.
The Kankia 132/33 kV Transmission Substation originally had an installed capacity of 60 MVA (48 MW), provided by two 30 MVA, 132/33 kV power transformers. According to TCN, this capacity had become inadequate to meet the growing load demand of customers in the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) franchise area supplied by the Kankia Substation.
“For the people of Kankia and the communities served by this substation, today’s commissioning is about greater opportunity: the opportunity to run a business, process agricultural produce and sustain a livelihood with stronger electricity infrastructure behind you.
“We are commissioning two 60 MVA, 132/33 kV power transformers, installed in place of one existing 30 MVA transformer. With the remaining 30 MVA unit, this raises the substation’s installed capacity from 60 MVA to 150 MVA, equivalent to approximately 120 MW. It is a 150 per cent increase in transformation capacity, providing room to meet previously suppressed demand and strengthen bulk supply to KEDCO for onward delivery to consumers.
“This is practical progress under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. I commend Mr President for his resolve to reset the power sector and place reliable electricity at the centre of Nigeria’s development agenda. His commitment to strengthening critical infrastructure gives purpose to our work.
“It ensures that investments support production, create opportunities and improve daily life. Kankia is a concrete expression of that commitment.” The Minister enthused.
TCN noted that the situation resulted in suppressed load, necessitating an upgrade. Consequently, an existing 30 MVA, 132/33 kV power transformer was replaced with two 60 MVA, 132/33 kV power transformers. With this intervention, the total installed capacity has been upgraded to 150 MVA, equivalent to 120 MW.
The project scope covered the engineering design, manufacture, supply, testing, delivery, installation and commissioning of two 60 MVA, 132/33 kV power transformers, including associated foundations, structures, auxiliary systems and other required installations.
The project was executed by the Federal Ministry of Power and TCN, with China Energy Engineering Group Jiangsu Power Design Institute (JSPDI) as the contractor. The project contract was awarded in June 2021, funded by the World Bank, and completed in June 2026.
The project has significantly increased the transformation capacity of Kankia Substation, enabling it to accommodate previously suppressed load and improve the reliability and availability of bulk electricity supply to the KEDCO network for onward distribution to consumers in Kankia, Dutsenma, Danbatta and Musawa in Katsina State.
Inspection of GIS Transmission Substation::
Also inspected during the commissioning tour was the 2 × 100 MVA, 132/33 kV GIS transmission substation project at the Katsina 330/132/33 kV substation, alongside Governor Dikko Umaru Radda and other senior Federal and state government officials.
The 2 × 100 MVA, 132/33 kV Gas-Insulated Switchgear (GIS) Transmission Substation project in Katsina Town was awarded as part of efforts to strengthen electricity infrastructure and improve the reliability of power supply in Katsina State. On completion, the substation will provide a combined transformation capacity of 200 MVA, supporting increased electricity demand and reducing pressure on the state’s existing transmission infrastructure.
On completion, the transmission substation will substantially increase bulk power availability for the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) to take up for distribution across Katsina Town and adjoining communities.
The GIS substation will improve the reliability of electricity supply in Katsina State and reduce interruptions caused by network capacity constraints. It will also support commercial, industrial and agricultural activities, improve power supply to hospitals and schools, and reduce dependence on generators.
The project involves the construction, installation, testing and commissioning of two 100 MVA, 132/33 kV power transformers with Gas-Insulated Switchgear, as well as the installation of the associated protection, control and civil infrastructure required for effective substation operation.
