The executive Governor of Imo state, Senator Hope Uzodimma, has inspected a substation of the Orashi Electricity Company, the state-owned power generation and distribution project.
The Orashi Electricity Company project is Imo state’s attempt to own the entire value chain of its power sector, breaking away from the dependence on Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC).
” My inspection of a sub-station of the Orashi Electricity Company revealed progress that aligns closely with our projected completion timeframe, as ndi Imo eagerly await the power station to go into operation,” says Uzodimma
” The level of work accomplished so far demonstrates a clear commitment from the contractors and technical teams, whose efforts continue to reflect professionalism and dedication to the State’s energy goals.” He added.
Uzodimma described the project as a major backbone of the state’s economy, and it’s one of the state’s most strategic investments. He stated that the project is aimed at improving power supply reliability, an important metric in the urbanisation agenda of the state.
The Orashi Electricity project was recently a subject of controversy, sparking a spat between the Imo state government and the EEDC. The Imo state government alleged that the EEDC is planning to facilitate power cuts in the state to sabotage the state’s independent power project.
The EEDC, in a signed statement by its Head of Communications, Emeka Ezeh, debunked the allegations, stating that the regional power distributor is still very much active in Imo state and will continue to provide standard services to its subscribers.
Reacting to the inspection of the Orashi Power Project, Martin Okorowu revealed the details of the state-owned power project, describing its journey from launch to date.
” Orashi Electricity Company Ltd was incorporated on 28 May 2024. On 13 July 2024, the company was granted an interim licence by the Imo State Electricity Regulatory Commission (ISERC). The licence empowers Orashi to distribute electricity across all 27 Local Government Areas of the state, under the “Light Up Imo” initiative.” Okorowu shared on X
The Orashi project is a key component of the Light up Imo.” initiative, which seeks to upgrade imo state’s power supply and distribution. The state-owned Orashi Electricity Company, located at New Owerri, when completed, will compete with the EEDC for market share in the state.
