The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Transmission Company of Nigeria

  • ‘We’re sorry for power outage’

    Two power firms, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) have apologised to communities in Enugu and Ebonyi states which have been in darkness since a fire destroyed a transformer supplying power to the communities.

    The communities are Ezillo in Ebonyi and Eha-Amufu in Enugu.

    The fire damaged the T1A power transformer at TCN’s station in Nkalagu, thereby putting customers in the affected area out of supply.

    A statement by the TCN public affairs manager, Enugu Region, Mrs Mary Philip-Udom said TCN engineers were already “at our Nkalagu T/S working to restore normal electricity supply to the affected communities.”

    “We are sincerely sorry for the inconvenience this unfortunate incident will cause our esteemed customers and assure them that normal supply will be restored as soon as the transformer is replaced.”

    Similarly, the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) in a statement by its head of communication, Emeka Ezeh apologised to its customers in the affected areas.

    It assured that the EEDC is making alternative arrangement to provide supply to the affected customers.

    “While this may not be adequate due to some constraints, we appeal to our esteemed customers to kindly bear with us,” the statement concluded.

     

  • TCN appoints personnel to interface with DisCos

    In an effort to resolve and minimize technical challenges, expand the load and promptly attend to Distribution interface issues, the Management of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), has appointed Focal Person to interface with DisCos in order to ensure that the DisCos take more power to the consumers. 

    The Focal Persons were inaugurated recently at the TCN Corporate Headquarters, Abuja.

    In a statement signed by the General Manager (Public Affairs), Ndidi Mbah, TCN noted that management decided to appoint interface Focal Persons in order to upscale power delivery to distribution load centers nationwide.

    The appointees include; Engr. L. C. Okalla, AGM (T), Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Engr. Jude Agupusi, AGM (SO), Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC), Engr. A. O. Balogun AGM (T), Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBDC), Engr. C. Iwuamadi, AGM (T) and Engr. S. O. Omoragbon, AGM (SO)  for Eko and Ikeja Distribution companies respectively.

    Others are, Engr. Balarabe Abdullahi, AGM (SO), Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDC), Engr. M. S. Nuhu, PM (T), Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KEDC), Engr. A. O. Labaran AGM (SO), Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and Engr. M. I. Tijani AGM (SO), Benin Electricity  Distribution Company (BEDC), while Engr. M. D. Ahmed, PM (T) Jos Sub Region and Engr. Tijani Ahmadu PM (T), Jos and Yola Electricity Distribution companies respectively.

    According to the statement, the Terms of Reference, for the Focal Persons are to liaise with DisCos daily as representatives of TCN on all DisCos/TCN interface issues, resolve the issues as soon as they occur.

    The statement further emphasized TCN’s commitment towards improving her wheeling capacity and at the same time maintaining cordial relationship with all the stakeholders in assuring that Nigerians enjoy a more stable electricity supply.

    The meeting was attended by Executive Management, Regional General Managers, Regional Operations Managers and other key staff of TCN.

  • TCN increases transmission with transformer in Ajah

    TCN increases transmission with transformer in Ajah

    The Transmission Company of  Nigeria (TCN) on Wednesday said electricity transmission has been increased by additional 60MVA 132/33kV transformer in its Ajah substation.

    In a statement issued by the General Manager (Public Affairs),TCN, Seun Olagunju the 60MVA 132/33kV power transformer which was successfully refurbished, installed and commissioned into service, has brought the transformer capacity at 132kV level to 220MVA.

    According to the statement, the newly installed 60MVA 132/33kV power transformer replaced an old 60MVA transformer which failed in the substation last year.

    Continuing, the statement disclosed that, TCN is also installing a 60MVA 132/33kV mobile power transformer in the same station to further increase transmission capacity in the area.

    The nearly completed mobile transformer will upon completion, boost the transmission capacity in the substation to 280MW, which is above the distribution load requirement in the area.

    The increased capacity of the Ajah transmission substation will translate to availability of additional power to be wheeled to distribution load centers supplying electricity to Ajah and environs.  

    TCN pledges to continue to work towards expanding and ensuring the nation’s grid stability. 

  • Power generation hits 3,959MW

    Power generation hits 3,959MW

    The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Wednesday wheeled out about 3,959 megawatts of generated electricity to the 11 distribution companies as the country’s power supply gradually stabilises.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that power generation data is obtained from daily forecast on the Nigerian Electricity System Operator (SO) website.

    The daily power statistics posted by SO, a section of the TCN, shows that power generation gradually improved during the festive season with a peak generation of 3,959 megawatts from the national grid.

    The website shows that the country’s power generation also recorded its lowest generation of 3,366 megawatts within the same period.

    According to the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) operational report for Jan. 3, the power sector hit a peak generation of 4,959 megawatts as against 3,321 megawatts recorded on Dec. 2.

    NESI, a subsidiary of the TCN, said that the sector recorded highest system frequency of 51.52Hz and lowest system frequency of 48.85 Hz.

    It also said that the highest voltage recorded was 372KV, while lowest voltage recorded on the same day was 300KV.

    Meanwhile, NESI, on Jan. 3 disclosed that over N534 billion of revenue was lost by the power sector in 2016.

    Among the reasons for the loss are shortages in gas supply, frequency and line limitations and water levels management constraints that led to several cases of electricity outage in the country.

    NESI, which put the average daily revenue loss at N1.5 billion, said gas constraint remained one of the major challenges facing the electricity sector.

    It explained that the N534 billion amounts to the value of electricity lost on account of the challenges, part of which could have been used to bridge the liquidity gap in the power sector, estimated at N1trillion.

    Already, the sector is finding it difficult to access more loans from Nigerian banks due to their inability to meet the payment obligations for previous debts.

    The situation will also affect the capacity of the power firms to improve on electricity supply to consumers for domestic and industrial uses.

    NESI said in its daily statistics on energy losses that the industry lost N1.525 billion on Dec. 24, 2016, alone.

    It also disclosed that about 12 power stations could not produce electricity during the off-peak period under the review.

    Statistics from the National Control Centre, Osogbo, showed that Afam IV-V, Geregu Gas, Alaoji National Integrated Power Project (NIPP), Olorunsogo Gas, Odukpani NIPP, Okpai, Ibom Power, ASCO, AES, Omoku, Rivers NIPP and Gbarain power plants could not produce a single megawatt (MW) on Dec. 25, 2016.

    Nigeria has installed power output of 11,165MW, of which the 12 plants have a combined capacity of 2,035MW.

  • Water management constraint hits power sector

    Water management constraint hits power sector

    • TCN sends 3,269MW to DisCos

    The Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) that did not experience any challenge from water to fuel the hydroelectric stations for the past four months lost 90 Mega Watts (MW) due to water management constraint on Saturday.

    According to a document on power sector activities that The Nation sighted on Tuesday, the NESI on Saturday experienced losses owing to water management in that was restored on Sunday.

    A reliable industry source however told our Abuja correspondent that there was a “mechanical problem in Jebba” Hydro Station that was down on November 12.

    The sector lost 3,514MW owing to vandalism of a gas pipeline.

    The document added that the sector lost 279MW to line constraint, although there was no loss due to high frequency constraint.

    The water, gas and line constraints culminated in a loss of about N1.86billion on the day under review that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) sent 3,269MW to the 11 distribution companies (DisCos).

    NESI said: “On November 12 2016, average power sent out was 3269MWh/hour (up by 347MWh/h). The reported gas constraint was 3514MW. The reported line constraint was 279MW and the high frequency constraint is 0MW according to TCN.

    The water management constraint was  90MW. The power sector lost an estimated N1,863,000, 000 on November 12 2016 due to constraints.”

    The Nation also learnt that there was a system disturbance at 14:27hours on the day under review due to series of line trappings.

    It added that Odukpani power plant was being prepared to evacuate four turbines.

    The document said: “System disturbance at 14:27hrs on November 11 due to a series of line trippings. Further vandalism on the ELPS line has increased gas constraints and  impacted generation negatively. Ikot Ekpene switching station undergoing pre-commissioning tests.  Odukpani power plant is currently been prepared to evacuate 4 turbines.”

    Investigation however shows that the sector recovered from the technical issue in Jebba to record 0MW water management constraint on Sunday.

    According to NESI report, the TCN wheeled 3,476MW to the 11 DisCos on Sunday when power generation rose by 206MW.

    The constraints led to a lost of about N1.88 billion  in the electricity market on the day under review.

    On the day under review,  sector lost 3,591MW to gas constrain and 328MW to high frequency. NESI said on “November 13 2016, average power sent out was 3,476MW by 206MW. The reported gas constraint was 3,591MW. The reported line constraint was 0MW and the high frequency constraint was 328MW. The water management constraint was 0MW. The power sector lost an estimated N1,881,000,000 on November 13 due to constraints.”