TCN Absolves Self from Epileptic Power Supply

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has absolved itself from the current load shedding and epileptic power supply experienced in various parts of the country, saying it only distributes what is generated through the national grid per hour or on the day-ahead nomination.

The TCN said that a combination of issues ranging from gas constraints, fault, and technical problems within generating plants caused persistent low generation and consequently low load allocation to Discos nationwide.

According to the statement by its General Manager Public Affairs, Mrs Ndidi Mba, TCN notified electricity consumers that the current load shedding being experienced nationwide is a result of very low power generation by the Generation Companies (GENCOs) for TCN to wheel through the transmission grid to distribution companies nationwide.

She said, “TCN can only transmit the quantum of power generated by GenCos through the national grid to distribution load centres nationwide.

“TCN does not generate electricity and therefore can only transport cumulative generation from all the generation companies nationwide to distribution load centres. The distribution companies are responsible for end-user consumption. TCN allocates power to distribution companies based on an approved percentage (formula approved by NERC), of the total generation available per hour or on the day-ahead nomination”.

She went further to reveal that the cumulative generation nationwide is low and generation companies have attributed this to several factors including poor gas supply, fault in generating units of generating companies, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, all of which have caused most power generating companies to limit their generation, and sometimes not generate at all.

She said, “In the last two months, for instance, clearly shows that fourteen (14) gas-powered generating stations were either not generating at all or had limited generation at various times within the period, further depleting the quantum of power generation available for transmission into the grid on a daily basis.

“Power generating stations in this category include; Omotosho units 5 & 6, Olorunsogo units 3, 4 & 6, Omoku units 3 & 6, Omotosho NIPP units 3 & 4, Delta units 15, 17, and 18, Afam VI units 11 & 12, Olorunsogo NIPP unit 3, Ihovbor NIPP unit 2, Sapele Steam unit 3, Sapele NIPP unit 1, Odukpani NIPP units 1 & 3, and Okpai units 11, 12 & 18.

“Also, within the same period, Jebba Hydro and Shiroro Power Generating Stations were either out or had limited generation, causing additional loss of 232MW from the grid, while other power generating plants such as  Omotosho units 3&4, Olorunsogo units 1, Delta units 10 &20, Afam VI  unit 13, Ihovbor NIPP units 4, Geregu NIPP units 22&23 and Odukpani NIPP units 2, 4 & 5, have also been out either on fault or for scheduled maintenance, causing a further loss of about 3,180MW from the grid”.

She went on to state that a combination of the above scenarios have persisted and the total effect on the grid is the persistent low generation, which TCN Operators have had to strive to dispatch in a way that will not jeopardize the stability of the grid.

“More recently, from the 1st to 4th of March, 2022, there was generation shortfall due to water management in Shiroro and Jebba hydro with the loss of 307MW and 125MW respectively from both stations. Within the same period, there were fault and technical problems in Egbin, causing 514MW shortfall and in Geregu causing 230MW shortfall, while reported fault at Alaoji NIPP reduced generation from the substation by 263MW.

“Gas constraint alone in Olorunsogo gas generating plant reduced generation from the station by 104MW, in the same vein,  Omotosho gas lost 102MW and Sapele NIPP lost 263MW. In Omotosho NIPP, there was a generation shortfall of 233MW and in Omoku a shortfall of 112MW. Two units in Okpai have limited generation due to technical problems causing a 204MW drop in generation and in Afam VI 511MW drop in generation.

“Gas constraint and fault in Olorunsogo NIPP reduced generation by 240MW, Geregu NIPP by 435MW, and Ihovbor by 142MW.  Also, due to gas pipeline pigging, Odukpani NIPP was SHUT DOWN which caused a reduction of generation by 575MW”.

TCN explained that except cumulative power generation increases considerably for TCN to transmit to distribution companies nationwide, TCN will be left with no choice but to continue to load shed.

“We will however continue to work hard to ensure the efficient allocation of the total load generated by the power generating stations into the grid, bearing in mind the need to ensure that the national grid is stable in spite of the challenges posed by the insufficient load on the transmission grid,” she assured.