Tag: TCN

Power Restored To National Grid After System Collapse – TCN

A file photo of a powerline.
A file photo of a powerline.

 

Power has been restored to all the 330kv transmission stations across the entire grid, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said on Thursday.

The company disclosed in a statement that electricity was restored to the transmission stations at about 5:54pm on Wednesday.

“The Kainji – Birnin Kebbi line, however, tripped on fault but was restored,” the statement read.

It added, “TCN’s 330kV substations feed 132kV substations, through which distribution companies offtake electricity they deliver to electricity consumers nationwide.”

Power was restored to the transmission stations a day after TCN announced that the nation’s electricity grid had suffered a system collapse, leading to a power outage in various parts of the country.

But the company’s General Manager (Public Affairs), Ndidi Mbah, had noted that experts were already making effort to fully restore electricity on the grid.

According to her, a total system collapse of the grid was recorded at about 11:01am on Tuesday, as a result of voltage collapse at some parts of the grid.

A file photo of the Minister of Power, Sale Mamman, at his office in Abuja. Photo: Twitter- @EngrSMamman

 

A few minutes later after the collapse, TCN commenced grid recovery from Shiroro Generating Station to Katampe TS, Abuja through the Shiroro – Katampe line, as well as through the Delta Generating Station to Benin Transmission Substation.

Last week, the Federal Government approved about N6.2 billion for the award of contracts for six projects in the power sector at the 44th virtual meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

The Minister of Power, Mamman Saleh, presented six memos at the FEC meeting which focused on efforts by the government to boost power supply in the country.

The approvals included the award of a contract for the design, manufacture, and supply of critical spare parts for Crompton Greaves 330KV, 132KV, and 33KV circuit breakers at N298,339,887.04; and procurement of 50 sets of 400AH battery banks – 30 to 50 volts, and 30 number of 110 volts battery charges for the substation used by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) at N644,805,953.10, among others.

TCN Upgrades Transmission Line To Boost Power Supply In Sokoto

A file photo of a powerline.
A file photo of a powerline.

 

The reconductoring of the new 130KM 132kV double circuit Sokoto – Birnin Kebbi Transmission Line has been completed, said the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

In a statement on Saturday, TCN General Manager (Public Affairs), Mrs Ndidi Mbah, disclosed that the transmission line was energised at about 4:35pm on Tuesday.

“The new high capacity 132KV transmission line which affects/ transverses 405 towers along the Birnin Kebbi – Sokoto line route, now transmits about 170MW, which is more than double the 70MW capacity previously transmitted by the decommissioned old 132kV transmission line,” she said.

The TCN spokesperson added, “The new 132KV transmission line has solved the low voltage and attendant poor power situation that used to be prevalent in the Sokoto axis, as TCN is now enabled to substantially transmit increased bulk power electricity to Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO)’s distribution load centres in Sokoto State and environs.”

She explained that the new development would enable KEDCO to deliver more stable and quality power to its customers in that axis.

Prior to the reconductoring of the line, Mbah noted that the Sokoto – Birnin Kebbi 132KV transmission line was overloaded due to increased demand, arising from the massive increase in human population and attendant socio-economic activities in the area.

She, however, stated that the new transmission line has solved the problem of overloading and suppressed load, adding that it has ample capacity for anticipated load increase.

The project began in November 2020 and was carried out in phases, in order to ameliorate the effect of scheduled outages on electricity consumers during the period.

According to the TCN spokesperson, some areas did not experience outage through the period as they were back-fed through another line.

“We are sincerely grateful to the government and good people of Sokoto State and Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, for their patience and cooperation during the period of the transmission line reconductoring,” she said.

Nigeria’s Power Generation Hits Another Historic Peak In Two Days

A file photo of a powerline.
A file photo of a power line.

 

The nation’s power sector has recorded yet another national peak generation, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said on Saturday.

Ms Ndidi Mbah, the General Manager of Public Affairs at the TCN, disclosed this in a statement.

She stated that Nigeria recorded a peak power generation of 5,520.40MW at about 9:15pm on Friday, 60.90MW higher than the previous 5.459MW recorded on Wednesday.

The TCN spokesperson explained that the new national peak was a result of continued collaboration among players and the gradual increase of capacity in the power sector.

She noted that the transmission company, on its part, seamlessly transmitted the new peak at a frequency of 50.11Hz. through the nation’s grid, with the current capacity of 8,100MW.

Mbah noted that players in the power sector value chain have continued to work together to improve the nation’s power supply.

A file photo of the logo of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) taken in Abuja on May 11, 2020. Channels TV/ Sodiq Adelakun.

 

On behalf of TCN, she urged the people to support the company and protect the power infrastructure across the country.

She also asked them to desist from bush burning and burning of trash beside transmission towers or under power line cables nationwide.

Nigeria has continued to witness a steady increase in the generation of power in the last few months as the Federal Government steps up efforts to improve service delivery in the sector.

On August 18, TCN recorded an all-time national peak of 5,420.30MW at about 9:15pm, exceeding the previous peak of 5,377.80MW recorded on August 1 by 42.50MW.

This was later surpassed by the figure of 5.459MW reported on October 28, with a difference of 39.2MW.

Read the full statement by Mbah below:

POWER SECTOR RECORDS NEW 5,520.40MW PEAK

The power sector has recorded yet another national peak generation of 5,520.40MW on 30th October 2020 at 9:15pm, surpassing the previous 5.459MW recorded on 28th October 2020 by 60.90MW.

The new national peak is a result of continued collaboration among players and the gradual increase in capacity in the power sector.

On her part, with the current capacity of 8,100MW, TCN seamlessly transmitted the new peak at a frequency of 50.11Hz. through the nation’s grid.

As players in the power sector value chain continue to work together to improve the nation’s power supply, TCN implores everyone to help protect power infrastructure nationwide and desist from bush burning or burning of trash beside transmission towers or under power line cables nationwide.

Ndidi Mbah

GM (Public Affairs)

31st October 2020

Nigeria’s Power Generation Reaches Historic 5,459MW

A picture of the logo of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) taken in Abuja on May 11, 2020. Channels TV/ Sodiq Adelakun.

 

Nigeria’s power sector has recorded its highest national peak of 5,459.50MW, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has said.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the General Manager, Public Affairs, TCN, Ndidi Mbah explained that this new record was achieved on Oct. 28.

“This milestone in generation is higher than any peak ever recorded in the nation’s power industry as at date,” the TCN official noted.

According to her, “The new peak surpasses the 5,420.30MW achieved on 18th of August, 2020 by 39.2MW.

“The Acting Managing Director, Mr Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, commended all the players in the power sector value chain as a result of the feat.

“He attributed the gradual but steady improvement in the quantum of power delivery to collaboration by the sector players, as well as the unbridled effort by the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Power, in setting the right environment for seamless operations.”

Image

TCN Transmits 5,420 MW Of Power, Nigeria’s Highest-Ever

A file photo of a powerline.
A file photo of a powerline.

 

The Transmission Company of Nigeria has said that a total of 5,420.30 megawatts of power was transmitted through the national grid as of August 19, 2020, as the country currently seeks to overhaul its power industry.

A statement by the power firm stated that the figure is the highest ever recorded in the nation’s power sector, surpassing the 5,377.80 megawatts peak reached on August 1.

It attributed the newest feat to the keen interest of the federal government and the several programmes and projects aimed at growing the power sector.

The TCN maintained that it is working to stabilise, rehabilitate and expand the country’s grid, while urging Nigerians to support the efforts of the government by ensuring that electricity installations nationwide are secure.

Meanwhile, the power deal between the Federal Government, its German counterpart, and Siemens AG, will see to the upgrading of 105 power substations, the construction of 70 new ones, the manufacture of 3,765 new power transformers.

The deal under the Presidential Power Initiative has been endorsed by the Federal Executive Council and will see to the upgrade from the current transmission to 7,000mw, 11,000mw and 25,000mw before 2023, with another scale-up tp 25,000mw.

VIDEO: Electricity Workers Protest, Picket Power Ministry In Abuja

 

Members of the electricity workers union are currently protesting in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

The workers in protest blocked main entrance gate and locked out some staff to the Ministry of Power. This is even in the presence of armed police officers.

The electricity workers are protesting over the non-payment of severance package for members who were affected by the unbundling of Power Holding Company of Nigeria PHCN into eleven electricity distribution companies (DisCos), six generating companies (GenCos), and a transmission company (TCN).

READ ALSO: Declare State Of Emergency In Power Sector, Senate President Tells Buhari

It will be recalled that the Senate President Ahmed Lawan on Monday called on the Executive to, as a matter of urgency, declare a state of emergency in the power sector to overcome the legion of problems stalling steady power supply in Nigeria.

According to the Senate President, the privatisation of the power sector in 2005 and 2013 was a grand scheme conceived with the intention to defraud Nigeria.

Lawan while faulting the power sector privatization process said it hasn’t yielded significant improvements and the National Assembly is prepared to amend the Power Sector Reform Act of 2005.

Power Supply: TCN, Experts Ask FG To Recapitalise DISCOs

Senate Passes Power Sector Reform Act Amendment Bill

 

There is an urgent need for the Federal Government to recapitalise the 11 existing Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) across the country.

This was part of the recommendations made by the Managing Director of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Usman Mohammed, and some experts at an event on Friday in Kaduna State.

They also asked the government to effectively fund the transmission network, in order for Nigeria to overcome the challenges of epileptic power supply.

The recommendations were made at a national discourse on addressing the power sector reforms organised by the Kaduna Polytechnic.

Experts suggested that the 40 per cent shares held by the Federal Government in the DISCOs be divested and sold to investors with technical competence.

According to them, there is a need to ensure that only capable hands drive the sector since the Federal Government cannot sustainably fund power supply.

In his remarks, the TCN boss faulted the privatisation process of the distribution companies in 2013 which led to the mismanagement of electricity distribution in the country.

He insisted that it would be more beneficial to Nigeria and the power sector if the distribution companies were recapitalised to enable competent hands to come in.

A former Director-General of Energy Commission of Nigeria, Professor Abubakar Sambo, also presented a paper on the way forward for the nation’s power sector.

He noted that although the power sector reforms have not led to significant improvement of electricity supply, there was a need to increase the electricity supply base.

Professor Sambo also called for the setting up of more generating companies, adding that more associated evaluating plants should be built with special purpose vehicles.

He stressed the need for the government to review licenses of distribution companies, entrench energy efficiency and conservation, remove obstacles to private sector investment, and enhance transmission network among other recommendations as the way forward.

Earlier, the convener of the event and Rector of Kaduna Polytechnic, Professor Idris Bugaje, opened the floor for discussion.

He decried the long years of neglect of the power sector and highlighted what government should urgently do if it must achieve the goal of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations by providing all citizens access to electricity by the year 2030.

Delivering his keynote address, the Minister of Power, Sale Mamman, acknowledged that power reform, although well-intentioned, has not made the expected impact largely due to severe structural deficits in both transmission and distribution.

He, however, revealed that the Federal Government has developed five key focal areas to effectively tackle the challenges.

Experts who spoke to reporters on the sideline of the event called for diversification of the power generation from gas and hydro sources into others such as coal, solar, and wind.

Fire Guts Transformer In Edo TCN Office

 

A transformer inside the Edo state office of the Transmission Company of Nigeria sub-station along Sapele road has been gutted by fire.

According to eyewitnesses who spoke with Channels Television on Sunday, the response to the fire, which they say started at about 8:00 am was very slow.

They hinted that the incident could spell prolonged blackout in the state.

READ ALSO: Alleged Rape: Protesters In Solidarity March For COZA Pastor, Fatoyinbo

Our correspondent observed that TCN staff shut the gates of the premises and refused to offer any comments on the matter.

See photos below:

Picketing: TCN Workers Clash With Protesting TUC Members

 

Workers of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) have clashed with protesting members of the Trade Union Congress from picketing their office in Abuja.

The TUC is accusing the company of poor handling of workers’ welfare, as well as intimidation of the union members.

See Photos Below: 

 

Electricity Distributors Blame TCN For Power Outages  

The association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors has blamed power outages in the country on the weak transmission infrastructure of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

The Electricity distribution companies under the aegis of Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) in a statement on Sunday said it is wrong for TCN to classify natural drop in electricity demands at nights as a rejection of supply by the distribution firms.

Distribution stress test reports of most discos show an average station capacity utilisation of less than 50 percent due to TCN’s infrastructure limitations.

The distributors, however, believe that system operators of discos misinterpreted the minimum and maximum load readings which describe low demands during off-peak hours as load rejection by discos.

FG To Build Three Transmission Substations In Kaduna

Ekiti LG Laments 14 Months Blackout, Begs BEDCAs part of Federal Government’s plan to improve power supply in the country, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is set to build three power transmission substations in Kaduna State.

The General Manager, Public Affairs of TCN, Mrs. Seun Olagunju, disclosed this to reporters shortly after the company’s management inspected the three sites for the proposed projects in Kaduna.

She said the multi-billion Naira projects would be completed between 18 to 24 months after TCN gets titles of the projects’ sites from the Kaduna State Government.

According to Mrs. Olagunju, the projects were parts of the Transmission Company’s expansion to set it above the curve in the power sector.

“We already have expansion plans and this is part of our expansion plan. We need to be above the curve. The Managing Director of TCN has been visiting some of the State Governors because we have had issues of land in some states.

“We had land issues of encroachment and vandalism, while in some cases, people come to claim ownership of land and sometimes we end up in court with legal issue. That is why we have been visiting some of the governors to say please help us solve this one so that our own is to put the substations in place,” she said on Wednesday.

The General Manager noted that the projects would commence in 2017, as the Kaduna State government had assured them that the issue of compensation to the land owners was ongoing and would be concluded soon.

“Already survey for the transmission lines have been done, it is just for the titles to be issued and we commence and soon. We are going to advertise for these projects and hit the ground running,” she avowed.

Speaking on the capacity of the proposed stations, the General Manager of Kaduna Transmission Centre, Abdullahi Suleiman, disclosed that the State Government has given TCN 750 square metres behind Millennium City, 350 square metres at Rigasa and Kakau respectively for the projects.

He expressed optimism that the additional transmission stations of about 540 MPA would boost power transmission with about 100% of the current capacity.

Earlier, the Director-General of Kaduna Geographic Information Service, Ibrahim Hussain, said Governor Nasir El-Rufai received the news of the proposed substations in Kaduna with joy.

He noted that the development was responsible for the speed at which the State Government had allocated land for the projects.

Mr Hussain said the State Government was eager to see improved power supply in the state, as inadequate power supply had shut down many industries in the state.

He assured TCN that titles would soon be issued for the allocated lands, as the government was almost done with the compensation of the land owners.

Power Supply: TCN To Invest $200m In Ogun

Ibikunle Amosun on African cultureAs part of the efforts to boost power supply in the country, the Ogun State government and the Transmission Company Of Nigeria (TCN) have concluded plans to construct a $200m transmission facility in the state.

The Managing Director of TCN, Mr Usman Mohammed, said the project, when completed, would address the inadequate transmission capacity of the entire nation.

On his part, the Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun assured the company of the needed support to the project a success.

“This is one of the biggest project we are doing in Nigeria $200m,” Mohammed said. “We have never done something like that before and that is why this is very key.”

Noting that the capacity of the facility would be 544MW, the TCN boss said it would give room for flexibility and growth.

Governor Amosun assured the TCN of his support, saying, “We will support as government and as a person I know the importance. There are even some places where we are presently working and where we think that you will do certain things for us.”