Mega Transformers Acquired Under €63m Siemens Power Sector Deal Arrive Nigeria In September —FG

The mega transformers which the federal government ordered from Siemens under the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) have successfully undergone a factory acceptance test.

The federal ministry of power stated that the first batch of the shipments, which are expected to be made from the Siemens’ transformers factory in Trento, Italy, would start arriving in Nigeria from September this year.

The Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab had in December last year secured the approval of the Federal Executive Council for €63m for the procurement of equipment to boost power supply under the PPI.

The project is to provide power to Nigerians in three phases of 7,000MW, 11,000MW and 25,000MW between now and 2025 under the federal government’s initiative to supply reliable power to the national grid.

The first phase is expected to provide 10 mobile power substations and 10 mega transformers that will be deployed across the country to boost and stabilise electricity supply, the government stated.

In 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari initiated the PPI to enable Siemens Energy to upgrade Nigeria’s electricity systems.

The first phase of the PPI seeks to modernise, rehabilitate and expand the national grid by investing in the electricity value chain, including generation, transmission and distribution systems.

The Managing Director of the Federal Government of Nigeria Power Company (FGN-Power), Mr Kenny Anuwe, who led a delegation that included engineers from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), witnessed the factory acceptance test conducted in Europe.

In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, on Media, Mr Isa Sanusi, it noted that the acceptance test has paved the way for Siemens Energy to start delivering the transformers to Nigeria.

The development is coming after Aliyu had led a delegation to Germany in April, where he paid visits to Siemens Energy factories in Berlin and Frankfurt, and held meetings with the senior leadership of Siemens Energy.

He engaged the company on the need to fast-track the delivery of the early orders that it said would kick-start the transformation of Nigeria’s electricity.

“The successful factory acceptance test shows Nigeria’s engagement with Siemens Energy is on track. It also shows the federal government’s commitment to addressing Nigeria’s electricity challenges,” said the minister.

On 28 July 2022, a team of Nigerian engineers led by the MD of Federal Government Power Company Mr Kenny Anuwe witnessed the factory acceptance test of the mega transformers ordered by the federal government under the first phase of the Presidential Power Initiative.

“The factory acceptance test was conducted at Siemens Energy factory in Trento, Italy. The transformers will start arriving in Nigeria in September. In December 2021, the Federal Executive Council approved €63m for realising the partnership between the Nigerian government and Siemens Energy.

“The Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) was set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to engage the global energy giant, Siemens of Germany for the upgrade and modernisation of Nigeria’s electricity value chain to deliver stable electricity across the country.

“On electricity supply, the federal government is committed to improvement and will not be distracted,” the minister wrote separately on his Twitter handle.