The Nigerian government and a Chinese company, the North China Power Engineering Company, have signed a 110 million U.S. dollars pact on power transmission line expansion.

According to a newsletter released here on Friday by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), the pact is for the construction of 268-km-long transmission line from Jos to Makurdi as part of the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) aimed at expanding the transmission network.

"The 286 kms close circuit 330kv transmission line would includes 330/152/33kv substation and 75 MVA/133kv reactor installations for Jos and Makurdi respectively," the newsletter quoted Power and Steel Minister Liyel Imoke as saying.

"The substations and transmission lines are part of lot 1, especially to addresses the completion of the national grid loop," he added.

The minister commended the Chinese company for taking "a bold step by coming to Nigeria as a pioneer foreign firm in the electricity industry."

The Chinese company had a good track record on transmission line construction as attested to by handling of Kano, Dutse and Azare project which had reached 90 percent completion, he said.

Source: Xinhua