By Glory James
Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Special Duties, Rt. Hon. Okpolupm Etteh, said the State Government will soon commission the 2×15 MVA Injection Power Sub-Station at the Victor Attah International Airport (VAIA) and link it directly to the national grid.
The Commissioner, who made this known on Friday when he led a delegation to inspect the project, said “the 33/11KV dedicated line from Afaha Ube is ready. What is left for the contractor, ALCON Nigeria Limited, to sort out, is the reticulation of power supply to all the various consumption units at the airport. The total power expected from the dedicated line is 24MW. All these will be done as soon as the ban on inter-state movement is lifted to allow the contractor return to site.”
He explained that “the fast rate of growth, expansion of services and the reach of VAIA necessitated the State Government’s effort to ensure that critical and strategic facilities that require power at airport run hitch-free and sustainably.”
The Commissioner assured that “the Udom Emmanuel’s administration will stop at nothing till its vision for the state, including the aviation sector, is completely realized. Our Governor is doing everything financially possible to put in place critical infrastructures at the airport before the end of this administration. His target is to make the airport a regional aviation hub.”
Speaking earlier, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Power, Engr. Meyene Etukudoh, said “a dedicated power line from the Ibom Tropicana to the Airport has been completed and awaiting finishing touches before the 2×15 MVA Transformers at the power Sub-station is energized.”
According to Engr. Etukudoh, “connecting the VAIA to the national grid will immensely save operational cost at the airport compare to running it on a generating set.”
In his remarks, the Airport Managing Director, Mr. Ekanem, commended Governor Udom Emmanuel for his commitment to ensuring that the Airport has all that it needs to function optimally.
The Commissioner was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Engr. Richard Ekpe; Head of Project Implementation, Engr. Ephraim Udosen; Airport Management staff and official of ALCON Nigeria Limited.
