With the transmission expansion project that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is implementing for grid upgrade, it is going to recover between 2,000mw to 3,000mw.

The company’s Managing Director, Mr. Usman Gur Mohammmed, who revealed this in Abuja, said that TCN is re-conducting the line from kaduna to Zaria to Funtua and Futua to Gusau. He added that the firm is also re-conducting the line from Birnin-Kebbi to Sokoto. The line from Aba to Itu, Kumboso to Nagujei, all with high capacity wires. 

Mohammed said that “By doing that we are going to recover between 2,000 to 3,000mw, which means that automatically the grid will shift from 10,000mw wire belt.”

According to him, grid stabilization is one of the measures for avoiding system collapse, on this note, the TCN sought the approval of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) for the procurement of 260mw 

spinning reserve to stabilize the grid.

Although TCN has sought the approval since December 2018, he said, the commission is yet to grant it.

He said: “that The next thing I want to tell you is the issue of spinning reserve. We have successfully procured 260mw spinning reserve. Now, 260mw of spinning reserve is not adequate with the average generation of 4,000mw. It is supposed to be 10%, which 400mw. 

“When we advertised for spinning reserve, generators responded and what we found is that it is not every generator that has the capacity to procure spinning reserve. A generator that cannot respond quickly cannot provide spinning reserve. What we can procure is 260mw and it not enough but it is good enough to stabilize the grid. 

“We should make the grid better than what it used to be than now. We forwarded that spinning reserve to NERC in December 2018 but as at today we have not yet got approval. 

“Even today we met with NERC and we are still pressing to get the spinning reserve. Once we get the spinning reserve,we will be able to further stabilize the grid as it is expected.”

Mohammed also announced that the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) on May 5 attained the West African Pool standard of 49.8 and 50.2Hz at 66% of the time. 

According to him, this is the first time that the nation’s power sector is achieving the feat.

Despite the accomplishment, the TCN boss noted that from May 6, till now, the company has been struggling to sustain  a frequency control of 49.8 and 50.2Hz.

He noted that owing to poor network,  distribution starts collapsing once it starts raining and it makes the management of frequency difficult. 

Mohammed said that: “We achieve 49.5 and 60.5Hz to November 2018. Now,  am happy to tell you that from May to December 23,  2018, to May 5, 2019, we achieved frequency control of WAAP standard, that is . That is 49.8 and 50.2Hz at 66% of the time. Now, if you at the standard, it is the standard of Ghana. This is the best standard that Nigeria has ever achieved. 

“But I want to tell you the negative part of it. From May 6 to date, we are struggling to attain frequency control of 49.8 and 50.2Hz, we are struggling at about 30%. One because we have poor distribution network, once it starts raining , all the distribution network will start collapsing and as a result of that. Frequency management becomes a big issue.”

Mohammed noted that despite the massive investment that the power sector has recorded from the transmission end, the distribution companies are yet to match it with a proportional upgrade of their equipment.

This, according to him, is now accountable for the frequent system collapses in the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry.

He revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari is in support of the recapitalization of the DisCos.

Mohammed also revealed that two containers of electricity transmission equipment were missing from the ports.

He added that one of the containers 775 containers that were recovered last week was empty.