The Nation Newspaper

Tag: TCN

  • Fed Govt signs $500m MoU for 20,000MW transmission grid projects

    Fed Govt signs $500m MoU for 20,000MW transmission grid projects

    The Ministry of Power yesterday signed a $500million Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Chinese firm -Xian Electric for the strengthening of the components of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) projects.

    Speaking at the event in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Godknows Igali, said the deal was struck when the President visited China.

    He said: “When the President visited China recently, the power sector was one of those that featured very prominently,” adding that it was on that occasion that the MoU was signed with the Chinese group for the development of 20,000MegaWatts of electricity.

    “Today, we are signing this MoU as a direct fallout from that visit for possible investments in the transmission grid of the country. “

    The MoU, which has taken effect, is for a two-year period.

    The Minister of Power, Prof Chinede Nebo, said the Chinese Exim Bank gave the Federal Government a concessionary loan at a very negligible interst for the implementation of the projects, adding that beside providing the fund, the Chinese firm is also billed to bring its technical experience to bear on the project.

    He said the government’s expectation was that the projects would have been concluded in two years.

    Nebo said the Minitoba Hydro International, the management contractor of the TCN, is designing the project, adding that details about the project would be provided to the Chinese firm.

    General Manager Xian Electric Engineering Company Limited Mr Ji Jun hua said the company would liaise with the agencies of the Federal Government to conduct feasibility studies required for successful execution of the projects.

    He said the firm is expected to execute the projects according to specifications and timelines.

    Hua said the contributions of the Ministry to the projects should include facilitation and acquisition of relevant data and reports towards the conduct of required technical and economic studies for the projects by TCN.

    He said the Ministry would be required to land and other things for the execution of the projects.

  • Fed Govt unveils TCN’s plan today

    Fed Govt unveils TCN’s plan today

    The Ministry of Power will today unveil the expansion plans of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

    Power Minister Prof. Chinedu Nebo who made this known in Abuja, noted that the inaugural meeting with the newly constituted board of the TCN scheduled for yesterday, was deferred because of the Chairman Hamman Tukur’s absence.

    He added that due to the critical nature of the launch, all TCN stakeholders who were at the yesterday’s aborted meeting were expected to witness the expansion plans today.

    Nebo, however, disclosed that the members were billed to meet the Permanent Secretary Ambassador Godknows Agali in a brief close door meeting. As we rise, the members of the board will remain for a very brief meeting by the Permanent Secretary to explain a few things,” he said.

    On the deferred meeting, he said: “The meeting is not going to be held because the chairman of the board is not here; because of that, the meeting has been deferred to tomorrow (today ) by four o’clock.

    “I would like to appeal for the understanding of all these distinguished members of the Governing Board of Transmission Company of Nigeria for the inconvenience that this would definitely cause you.

    “Kindly bear with us.”

  • ‘Weak network cause of blackout’

    Contrary to explanation by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) that vandalised gas pipelines was responsible for the ongoing nationwide massive load-shedding and regular blackout, The Nation has learnt that it is weak transmission network that is the cause of the problem.

    A source in the company, who spoke in confidence, said the transmission network is so fragile and has worsened in recent time, adding that the transmission facilities hardly take more than 3,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity.

    The source said in the recent past, the directives they get from the transmission control station in Oshogbo is to drop load unlike in the past when most of the signals were to pick load.

    “The transmission system is in bad shape. I must tell you that, anything above 3,000MW threatens the system’s integrity and may result in system collapse. Signals we get lately are to drop load because it is safer to load-shed than to be involved in system collapse. The Federal Government just have to reinforce the transmission,” the source said.

    Besides, the Group Executive Director, Gas and Power, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. David Ige, during a forum in United States, confirmed to The Nation that gas is not the problem to increased electricity supply. He said the nation has available gas enough to give Nigerians 5000MW.

    According to him, weak transmission infrastructure was responsible for poor power supply contrary to what the Minister of Power, Prof Chinedu Nebo, said inadequate gas supply was the bane of improved power supply.

     

  • NERC licenses seven firms for 2,758mw

    NERC licenses seven firms for 2,758mw

    •TCN spends $3m on transco aerial survey

    The Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) yesterday in Abuja, presented licenses to seven companies with combined 2,758 megawatts (MW) generating capacity.

    A breakdown of the companies and their generation capacities, according to NERC chairman, Dr. Sam Amadi, shows that Benin Generation Company Limited located at Ihovbor, Edo State will generate 450m;, Omotosho Generation Company Limited, located at Omotosho, Ondo State has the capacity to generate 500mw and Omoku Generation Company Limited at Omoku, Rivers State has the capacity to generate 250mw.

    Others include Gbarain Generation Company Limited located in Gbarain, Bayelsa State, which has the capacity to generate 225mw; Calabar Generation Company Limited, which is located in Calabar, Cross River State has the capacity for generating 561mw; Geregu Generation Company Limited, Geregu, Kogi State that has capacity to generate 434mw on grid while Egbema Generation Company Limited can generate 338mw. IT is located in Egbema, Imo State.

    Meanwhile, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) unbundled from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) has also spent $3million on the aerial survey of the country’s transmission line in the last two years.

    Principal Consultant, Penuel Consulting, LLC, Dr. Timmy Fadiora, disclosed this to reporters in Abuja yesterday after training on “Aeriel Survey and Geodetic Mapping on TCN transmission lines and Right of Way (ROW) Corridor.” He said the firm deployed its aircraft from the United States.

    According to him, $800,000 is required for only aircraft that will fly the nook and cranny of Nigeria. He explained that the firm will conduct an aerial survey on the entire transmission line in Nigeria and their substations.

  • System collapse causes nationwide blackout

    •Problem rectified, says TCN

    The entire country was thrown into total blackout last Friday following a major system collapse of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

    The system, according to a source at the company, collapsed at about 4.30 am on Friday and affected the entire country.

    The incident was noticed when there were complaints from electricity consumers across the country after about 24 hours of blackout.

    An official of the TCN who spoke to The Nation in confidence confirmed the incident.

    The source explained that the transmission system had, problem which affected the entire country, but it is being resolved.

    The official said: “We had system challenge, which initially affected the whole nation but it is no more the same situation. We have restored operation although we cannot pick the entire load or every feeder to avoid a reccurrence.

    “Some of the transmission lines were adversely affected, so we will still have some pockets of problems in some areas but as the system stabilises, we will continue to increase the load.”

    The official said by tomorrow, the engineers will give clearer analysis of what caused the system collapse.

  • Power generation hits 4,286MW

    The Transmission Company of Nigeria said that electricity generation has hit 4,286 megawatts as against the 3,700 MW that is been insinuated in the country.

    TCN’s Assistant General Manager, Public Affairs, Dave Ifabiyi, also said that the drop in power generation on Monday was due to the one-day shutdown of a power plant.

    Ifabiyi, who made the clarifications in a telephone chat with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Lagos, said that power generation dropped by 460 megawatts on Monday.

    “The 460 megawatts drop in power generation on Monday was due to the one-day shutdown of the Okpai Power Plant owned by Agip Oil Company in Delta.

    “The plant was closed to undergo repairs,’’ he said.

    He said the one-day closure of the Okpai Power Plant forced power generation to stand at 4,100 megawatts, which rose to 4,286MW on Tuesday.

    “As at Tuesday, Nigeria’s power generation stood at 4,286 megawatts. We are expectant that our power generation capacities will build-up with time.

    “The shutdown of the Okpai Power Plant was because of vandalised line which was later restored back on stream the same day,’’ he said.

    Ifabiyi said the ongoing privatisation of the power sector would result in increased power generation and improved supply of electricity to Nigerians.

     

  • TCN loses N20m to vandals in Zamfara

     

    The Transmission Company of Nigeria said it lost N20 million to vandals on its transmission tower situated on Gusau-Talata Mafara road in Zamfara State.

    The General Manager of the company in Kaduna region, Mr. Mike Ezeudenna, disclosed this in Kaduna in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria.

    He said the activities of the miscreants had hampered the company’s ability to provide good service to its customers using the tower line.

    Ezeudenna said the company had reported the activities of the vandals to the state government and the commissioner of police to beef up security around the towers.

    He said the company would not tolerate the disruption of structures that would boost electricity supply to Nigerians.

    Ezeudenna promised that Nigerians would soon enjoy regular power supply, as efforts made in the past by the government to improve the sector were gradually yielding positive results.

     

  • TCN warns against bush burning around installations

    The Transmission Company of Nigeria on Thursday warned the general public against bush burning around the Power Holding Company of Nigeria installations.

    The Executive Director, Systems Operations of the TCN, Mr. Jonathan Ndiagwaralukwe, gave the warning in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.

    Ndiagwaralukwe said that bush burning was having negative consequences on PHCN infrastructure and installations.

    “Our major challenge is that the harmatan breeze spreads fire faster and such fire can destroy the infrastructure that was built by the government for the benefit of the people.

    “We call on people to report to the police anybody who engages in bush burning around PHCN’s installations,’’ he said.

    Ndiagwaralukwe told NAN that the Kainji, Egbim, Ugheli and National Integrated Power Projects (NIPPs) in Olorunshogo, which will come on stream very soon, would produce a total of 300 MW of electricity.

    He said that the 300mw that would be generated would be used to stabilise the nation’s power supply.

     

  • ‘NCP never recommended cancellation of Manitoba’s contract ’

    Chairman of the Technical Committee of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP), Mr Atedo Peterside, has denied stories making the rounds, which falsely suggested that his Technical Committee recommended the cancellation of Manitoba Hydro International’s Management Contract to manage the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

    He said: “It is sad that deliberate falsehoods are being peddled and planted in selected media houses in order to discredit his Technical Committee members.He advised honest reporters and editors to please seek to verify sensitive stories of this nature so they do not end up being used by opponents of reform and progress.”

    PresidentGoodluck Jonathan had also on Sunday while fielding questions from a panel of editors during a presidential media chat monitored on Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), said the Manitoba’s N3.6billion three-year contract had not been revoked.

    He said he had given all relevant agencies up till today (Tuesday) to tidy the transaction.