The Orashi Electricity Company Limited has announced a major breakthrough in the Light Up Imo project, confirming that the New Owerri pilot scheme is now operational and actively supplying electricity to critical infrastructure in the area.
Built around a 15MVA, 33/11KV injection substation commissioned earlier this month on February 6th, 2026, the substation as gathered is now successfully feeding power into the New Owerri corridor, marking a tangible step toward ending the power challenges in the state capital.
An update from the company and the Ministry of Power and Electricity says that several high-profile locations are now connected to the new stable grid.
These places include the Commissioners Quarters, the Government House, the Imo State House of Assembly, the State Secretariat, and the Owerri Capital Development Authority (OCDA) and New Owerri Police Station layout.
DrumAfricanews learnt that the commercial and hospitality sectors are also feeling the immediate benefits, with Protea Hotel and Rock View Hotel now fully energized.
As gathered, in a bid to further expand coverage to the hospitality industries, a dedicated transformer has been installed at the Hilton Concorde Hotel, which is set to be powered up in the coming days.
Maintenance Supervisor at Protea Hotel, Mr Prosper Osakwe and Mr Henry Okechukwu of Rockview Hotel, confirmed that migrating to Orashi Electricity Company Limited has brought steady power supply to their premises.
According to them, “We’ve seen a significant improvement in power reliability since switching,” they chorused, praising the enhanced service.
Providing further clarity on the project’s roadmap, the Commissioner for Power and Electricity, Nze Nwabueze Oguchienti, revealed that technical surveys have been completed for residential areas such as Civic Centre and Udenwa Estate.
He explained that these estates are next in line to be hooked up to the new electricity network, as the company is ready to do the needful in the first phase.
Oguchienti also addressed the complexities of modernizing the power infrastructure, explaining that the Orashi Electricity Company is working diligently to rectify technical issues that have plagued the system, specifically focusing on maintaining and upgrading the aging legacy networks they have taken over.
He said, “Our technical teams are on the ground ensuring the stability of the system,” the Commissioner stated. Except there are interruptions from the national grid, there is no reason for power failure at this time.
As gathered, the Light Up Imo project continues to be a flagship policy of the state government, aimed at providing reliable and sustainable electricity to drive economic growth and improve the quality of life for residents.
Meanwhile, information reaching DrumAfricanews has it that potential customers living or doing business within the New Owerri corridor can forward a formal request to migrate to Orashi Electricity Company Limited’s services by submitting such to their office.
