Energy

TCN Denies Report on National Blackout

By Web News 389

As workers commenced a nationwide indefinite strike on Tuesday, the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, has said there is no truth in a media report about a looming national blackout.

TCN emphasised that the claim made by an online news outlet alleging that the Head of Public Affairs of TCN predicted a national blackout was inaccurate and misleading.

This was revealed in a statement signed by TCN management which was shared on its X account on Tuesday.

The statement clarified that no such declaration was made by the Public Affairs Head, disclosing that the country’s power grid remained intact, consistently providing substantial electricity to distribution load centres across the nation.

The statement said, “The Transmission Company of Nigeria hereby states that the publication by Daily Post alleging that the Head of Public Affairs of TCN said that there will be a national blackout is false and totally misleading.  “The statement is mischievous and baseless as TCN, through the Public Affairs Head, did not make such a statement.

“We hereby note that the nation’s grid is intact and supplying bulk electricity to distribution load centers nationwide.

“As at when issuing this statement, the TCN National Control Centre Osogbo which controls bulk power transmission nationwide, is actively operational.”

Punch/ Oluwayemisi Owonikoko

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Energy

Fire Guts TCN Transmission Substation

By Web News 371

There was a fire incident at the Transmission Company of Nigeria transmission, TCN, substation in Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State, on Thursday night.

The 330 kilovolt (kV) facility was reportedly engulfed in the inferno, though the immediate cause has yet to be disclosed.

The incident comes barely 24 hours after a national electricity grid collapse resulting from a fire outbreak.

The spokesperson for the Kebbi State Police Command, Nafiu Abubakar, confirmed the incident to Channels Television on Friday.

Abubakar however said he did not have details of the incident at the time and referred our correspondent to the TCN for more information on the possible causes of the fire.

However, efforts to reach TCN were unsuccessful.

Channelstv / Titilayo Kupoliyi

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Power

“Power Supply Will Drop, Come Wednesday” – TCN 

By Web News 857

Power supply will drop by 50 megawatts on Wednesday.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria, in a statement on Monday, said the drop would be as a result of planned annual “preventive maintenance” on the line bay at Lekki Transmission Substation in Lagos.

During the maintenance period, about 50MW will be interrupted, affecting power supply to Lekki phase 1, Oniru, Elegushi, Waterfront, Igbo Efon and Twenty-first Century Estate in Lagos state.

“TCN regrets all inconvenience this might cause electricity consumers in the affected area,” the statement said.

The announcement came on the heels of a promise by the Nigerian electricity Regulatory Commission to deliver at least 5000MW of electricity to Nigerians starting from July 1.

Report showed that peak generation as of 3:24 PM on Monday was put at 3, 967MW, while the lowest generation was 3, 539MW, according to statistics from the Nigerian Electricity System Operator, NESO.

The NERC had responded to a widespread public clamour following consistent system collapsing of the power grid, over four incidents recorded so far this year.
According to the commission, all hands are on deck to ensure boost in power generation and supply to electricity consumers, adding that all stakeholders, including gas firms had signed binding contracts to the effect.

“Although there have been contracts in the past, they were not binding and the parties could decide not to honour them. But with the new agreement, we would make sure no party defaults once the contracts are signed. Whoever defaults will be held responsible and will be sanctioned”, NERC Chairman, Garba Sanusi had said during a media parley in Lagos.

However, a metering expert, Sesan Okunade, said  that power generation was not what Nigeria should be battling to solve at the moment.

“We have generated more than this before that have been sold to neighboring countries. Our problem is transmission and the Disco whose infrastructure is not capable of withholding the supply if more power is transmitted from the Genco. Some of the reasons for system collapse is the excess kilowatt not being collected by Disco due the technical and commercial loss.”

He said NERC should mandate the Disco on good connection policy devoid of the curweb currently in the network so that energy will be well accounted for; adding that this will assist in knowing if more is to be transmitted to such Disco.

“Good connection policy and investment in transformers to replace the obsolete one will assist in what is being generated to be effectively received by Discos”, he added.

Experts say Nigeria needs at least 30, 000MW to attain power sufficiency.

National President, Electricity Consumers Association of Nigeria, Barrister Chijioke James, questioned why NERC should still set a target of 5000MW when Nigerian consumers were told years ago that the generation capacity was over 6000MW.

“We are therefore surprised that in 2022 NERC is promising delivery of 5000MW.

This does not give consumers confidence that the current situation will change for the better soonest”, he said.

Punch /Taiwo Akinola

Power

Electricity Workers Set To Commence Nationwide Strike

By Web News 564

Total blackout looms across the country as electricity workers under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) have threatened to embark on a nationwide strike to halt the proposed sale of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

The union has vowed to embark on the suspended nationwide protest if the government continues with the plan of selling the TCN also appealed to the National Assembly and Nigerians to resist the push for the sale of TCN which will further leave the nation with regrets and ‘had I known’

The National Union of Electricity Employees of Nigeria (NUEE) General Secretary, Comrade Joe Ajaero, who disclosed this to newsmen, said the union wonders why the government is still bent on selling off TCN when the transmission and distribution have after eight years of privatization failed to yield expected turnaround of the power sector

“Almost eight years after the privatization of the power sector, there has not been any visible improvement in terms of power supply, expansion or investments by the new owners of the DisCos and GenCos.”Ajaero said.

FRCN, Abuja

Energy

Ekiti Govt, TCN Sign MoU on Power Generation

By Web News 952

Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, and Ekiti State Government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, to construct another two electricity power sub-stations of 132/33 KVA in Ilupeju and Ijesa-Isu, Ekiti.

At the signing of the MoU, Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, represented by the Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi said the step was part of measures to boost power supply, attract investors and create job opportunities.

Governor Fayemi who maintained that his administration was deeply concerned about improving infrastructural facilities to help the citizens to attain economic stability and progress in business, said no stone would be left unturned in ensuring the development of the state.

He noted that government would continue to provide an enabling environment for the Transmission Company of Nigeria and other investors to thrive effectively in the state.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Public and Infrastructure, Mr. Bamidele Faparusi had lamented that Ekiti received the lowest power supply among the comity of states in the Southwest, while some communities were not even connected to the national grid.

The team leader of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, Mr. Victor Adewumi who noted that works would commence in earnest since all agreements have been signed, said the projects would be delivered before the end of the second quarter of next year.

Oriola Afolabi