The 33 million dollars Sokoto State Independent Power Project (IPP) is to be test-run in the next 90 days.
A representative of the contracting firm, Mr Theo Ubani, made the disclosure when officials of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) inspected the site in Sokoto on Wednesday.
Ubani said the visit was to check the readiness of the plant in terms of evacuation of the power to be generated to the substation.
According to him, this is a technical visit before connecting the plant to the national grid.
He said the project had reached 95 per cent completion stage, adding that “this is a reality and not a farce’’.
The TCN General Manager, Connections of Power Plants, Research and Development, Dr Inugonum Tom, assured the people that the power to be generated would be utilised only in the state.
“The visit is therefore aimed at assessing the readiness of the project for transmission of power through TCN’s transmission lines,’’ he added.
The state government awarded the contract to Vulcan Elvaton Nigeria Ltd., in November, 2008. Since coming on board last year, the present administration of Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal made the completion of the project a top priority.
Funds were also released to that effect.
The project is expected to generate 38 megawatts of electricity.