Electricity: TCN deploys digital solutions to grid collapse

To manage and enhance the performance of the national grid, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), is deploying a ‘Generation Dip/Loss Detection System’ (GLDS) which detects and responds to sudden drops or dips in power generation across the network.

This follows the most recent collapse which saw the grid breakdown from 2,583.77MW at 2am on Monday to 64.7MW around 3am, plunging several regions into darkness. With this, the national grid has reportedly collapsed nine times under President Tinubu led Administration.

Ndidi Mbah, general manager, public affairs, TCN, in a statement on Wednesday, said the GLDS was designed to empower the National Control Centre (NCC) in Osogbo, as well as provide grid controllers with advanced tools for real-time monitoring and analysis of grid performance.

She explained that the intuitive interface of the GLDS allows for the setting of parameters, continuous monitoring of power generating stations, and comprehensive reporting functionalities, enabling swift responses to grid disturbances.

“This new innovation stands as a testament to the Transmission Company of Nigeria’s (TCN) commitment to advancing grid management capabilities.

“GLDS incorporates sophisticated data analytics and machine learning algorithms to analyse real-time data and identify patterns associated with sudden generation loss. By leveraging anomaly detection techniques, GLDS can promptly alert grid controllers on deviations from normal grid behaviour, facilitating proactive intervention to prevent widespread disruptions,” Mbah said in the statement.

According to her, the TCN engineers had previously developed an in-house design that leverages IoT technology as an innovative solution in response to the challenge of limited visibility of power generators.

She explained that the IoT devices, which were strategically deployed across power stations and some substations, facilitate the collection of near real-time data, including power generation levels and grid performance metrics.