The contract which has an implementation deadline of June 30, 2012,confers on Schneider Electric the right to design, manufacture, and supply 28 units of 15MVA 33/11KV injection of substations for the state.
Signing the contract over the weekend in Port-Harcourt,the Rivers State Commissioner of Power, Hon. Augustine Wokocha, explained that the decision to partner with Schneider Electric was informed by the company’s track record in innovative power solutions.
He also said that the award of the contracts was an exhibition of the commitment of Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s administration to cater for the electricity needs of residents of the state.
He said that as part of the contract, Schneider Electric is to organize overseas training as well as on-site training for the state’s technical staff that would later be responsible for daily running and maintenance of the facilities.
He said that the training programmes would help in the transfer of expertise towards ensuring the sustainability and maintenance of the projects.
He also said that Schneider Electric will set up a service centre and a workshop as part of the terms of the contract.
“The service centre will upon completion be a full-fledged workshop for the manufacturing of low voltage equipment transformer control panels for substation automation but most importantly, to conduct a full sample test of all the sub-station equipment to check their operational ability and full configuration as well as check quality and trouble shoot before deploying to site,” he said.
Also speaking, Country President of Schneider Electric, Mr. Marcel Hochet, assured the state government that his company would execute the project within the timeline.
He said his company would exhibit its wealth of experience in energy management towards achieving the laudable objective behind the project.
Before the current contract, Schneider Electric had also been charged with the responsibility of providing audit, installation, supervision and commissioning of six132/33KV transmission substations in Andoni, Ahoada, Emohua, Degema, Trans-Amadi, Ogu and Kaa at the value of €8 million.
