Power crisis: TCN to commission 330kV/132kV transmission substations by Q3

Following the prolonged power crisis across all states of the Federation, the transmission company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced that the Abuja feeding scheme project which consists of one new 330kV line, two 330/132kV, and three 132kV transmission substations will be ready for commissioning by the end of the third quarter of 2022.

According to Ndidi Mbah, TCN general manager for public affairs, the execution of donor sponsored projects across the country have progressed extensively.

She also noted that the World Bank sponsored Nigeria Electricity Transmission Project (NETAP) has made remarkable progress as all procurement process has been concluded with most packages at the project implementation stage.

The federal government had received a credit on behalf of TCN from the International Development Association (IDA) under the World Bank for the execution of the project.

NETAP seeks to redress certain deficiencies and operational constraints of the Nigeria power transmission system so as to allow the efficient dispatch and transmission of power in the national grid through additional transformer capacity.

“In particular, it will complement efforts underway for both emergency and long term measures now being taken to increase generation.

“Worthy of note is the recent delivery of 5 no 150MVA 330/132kV and 10 no 60MVA, 132/33kV Transformers at the same time to TCN central stores at Ojo, Lagos (some have been moved to substation sites across the country for installation), a very significant achievement in the history of the power sector in Nigeria.

“The Abuja feeding scheme Project which consists of one new 330kV line, two 330/132kV, and three 132kV transmission substations has progressed extensively and will be ready for commissioning by the end of the third quarter of 2022,” she said.

Mbah also announced the confirmation of Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz as the substantive Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of TCN by President Muhammadu Buhari.

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Until his confirmation, Abdulaziz was the acting managing director of TCN from 19th May 2020 to 4th April, 2022, responsible for the overall supervision of the affairs of TCN, including transmission network operations and maintenance, system operations, market administration, human resources management among others.

“Under his watch as the Ag. MD/CEO, TCN made milestone achievements in projects execution and delivery, stable and management and human resources management that optimized personnel performance and productivity.

“Abdulaziz has embarked on projects initiatives and execution that significantly transformed TCN from a faltering successor company in the post-privatization era to a viable national and sub regional transmission company.

“His collaborative and non-coercive management approach has engendered synergy and consultation among sister agencies and other sector players who are now recognized as TCN customers and partners in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), contrary to what was the case special attention is now dedicated to resolving DlSCO-TCN Interface issues to ensure seamless delivery of bulk power to the load centers nationwide,” she said.