TCN Expanding Network Infrastructure For Seamless Power Transmission

Before now, there were occasions of excess power generation by power Generation companies (GenCos) in the country, which often goes into waste. The reason being that power as product cannot be stored nor preserved till time of need. It cannot be bottled and put on the shelves for future purchases and utilisation.

Not that the generated power was above what was needed in the country then but because inadequate, reliable and functional transmission and distribution network constituted barriers against wheeling generated power to national grid via transmission network for onward off take by Power Distribution Companies (DisCos). Thus, despite the fact that the GenCos could deliver power at respective installed full capacities, but they remained restricted to operate below installed capacities in order not to generate what would not be utilized.

But there has been noticeable wind of change over the past eight months in operations of the TCN under its current management led by Engr. Sule Abdulaziz as Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer. Following dedication and commitment to ensure seamless power transmission and achieve full capacity to wheel generated power, TCN has embarked on reviving and reactivation of incomplete and abandoned transmission substations just as outdated transmission lines are being reconductored into efficient and capable transmission lines. With this being the top priority of the TCN management, the era of transmission infrastructure inadequacy is becoming a thing of the past in Nigeria’s power sector history.

Some of the major initiatives and programmes targeted at continuous  boosting of transmission capacities of the TCN include the plans to construct second new National Control Centre in Gwagwalada, a satellite town of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja which is in line with its expansion projects. It is envisaged that when completed, it will be a replicate of the National Control Centre in Oshogbo, Osun state. The plans are afoot that the proposed new National Control Centre will be equipped with the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) as well as, other modern communication equipment that meets international standards.

Further, was the inspection tour of abandoned power transmission projects in Abia-North Senatorial zone early December, 2020 by a combined team of top officials of the ministry of power led by the Minister, Engr. Mamman Saleh and TCN management led by the Managing Director, Engr. Sule Abdulaziz, for the purpose of revitalizing six uncompleted power transmission stations sited in Arochukwu, Umuahia, Ohafia and Isuikwuato Local Government Areas of the zone. Specifically, the abandoned transmission stations which were commissioned since 2001 include: Umuahia-Ohafia 132KV single circuit Transmission line, Umuahia-Mbalano 132KV single circuit Transmission line, Ohafia-Arochukwu 132KV Transmission line; 2X30/40MVA, 132/33KV Substation at Mbalano; 2X30/40MVA, 132/33KV Substation at Ohafia and 2X30/40MVA, 132/33KV Substation at Arochukwu. The non-completion of the power projects have hindered socioeconomic development of the areas.

In some areas, the transmission capacities of some power transformers in substations are now below the capacities of power required due to increasing urbanisation, population growth and upsurge of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) which relied mostly on power supply for day to day business operations. Consequently, TCN is upgrading and replacing the transformers with higher voltage ones.

Brand new 60/66MVA 132/33kV power transformer, installed in Kubwa Transmission Substation

Thus, it has replaced the 30MVA 132/33kV Mobile transformer in Kumbotso Transmission Substation with a 60/66MVA 132/33kV power transformer, installed in Kubwa Transmission Substation a brand new 60MVA, 132/33kV power with 3No. 33KV feeders: the Dam, Dawaki and Deidei feeders and all of them in circuit carrying a cumulative load of 21MW, among other several new transformers installed to beef up capacities of the substations in various locations in the country.

Currently, processes are on for the reconductoring (removal and replacement of outdated transmission wires/lines with high capacity lines to boost voltage) 132kV Transmission lines involving two scopes of work. These include reconductoring Kumbotso-Hadejia 132KV single circuit line of about 165km route length and secondly, the reconductoring of Kumbotsho -Kankia 132KV single circuit line of about 100km route length.

TCN Engineers on site maintenance work of Egbin/Aja 330KV line

Already, it has completed the reconductoring of the overloaded 130 km Sokoto – Birnin Kebbi 132kV Single Circuit Transmission Line with high capacity transmission cable which facilitates TCN to increase bulk power transmission to distribution load centers in Sokoto State and environs.

The increasing improvements and expansion in transmission infrastructure has positive ripple effects in the current successive new transmission peaks. For instance, TCN on 4th March had a new maximum daily energy of 118,133.85MWH higher than its previous value of 117,060.48MWH recorded on 3rd of March, 2021 by 1,073.37 MWH.

Also, on 1st March, 2021 TCN transmitted peak generation of 5,801.60MW at about 9.30 pm at frequency of 50.09Hz which was higher than 5,615. 40MW transmitted on 28 February, 2021 by 186.20MW. It had earlier successfully transmitted new daily energy of 116,891.14MWH on Friday 26th February, 2021, surpassing the previous 116,121.42MWH recorded on Thursday 25th, February 2021 by 769.72MWH. Yet, few days after the 2020 yuletide another all-time peak of 5,584.40MW recorded by the power sector on Thursday, January 7th 2021, at 21:15hrs and this was barely 24 hours after a previous peak of 5,552.80MW was recorded and transmitted on Wednesday January 6th, 2021 at 20:15hrs.