Power: TCN Boost Supply in Lagos with New Mobile Transformer

By Chineme Okafor in Abuja

To enable it transmit more electricity to distribution load centers in Ejigbo, Jakande Estate, Igando, Ijegun, Ijedodo, Oke-Afa, Idimu, Ikotun, Bolorunpelu, Shasha, Agodo, Egbe, Abaranje, Murtala Mohammed International Airport areas of Lagos, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Friday disclosed that it had commissioned a brand new 1x40MVA 132/33KV mobile transformer which would raise the capacity of its Ejigbo transmission substation to 200 Mega Volt Amp (MVA) from 160MVA.

A statement from the General Manager, Public Affairs of the TCN, Ndidi Mbah, in Abuja, explained that the inauguration was performed by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, who was represented by the Minister of State-2, Power, Works and Housing, Suleiman Hassan, on the sideline of the recent 19th monthly power sector stakeholders meeting in Lagos.

The new mobile transformer, according to Mbah, had also been energised, and is one of the three transformers earmarked for the Ejigbo substation.

The statement quoted the Interim Managing Director (IMD) of TCN, Mr. Usman Gur Mohammed, to have said that installation works on the two other transformers had reached advanced stages, and that the installation of the 2x100MVA 132/33kV transformers were being done by the Project Monitoring Unit of TCN. The new transformers, the statement added, would replace the old 2x30MVA transformers in the station and on completion add 140MVA transformer capacity to the station, to bring the overall load capacity of the Ejigbo substation to 340MVA.

Meanwhile, following the outbreak of fire at a 1x150MVA 330/132/33kV power transformer in its Jos transmission substation, the TCN has also been forced to divert about 30 megawatts (MW) of electricity it usually supply to Bauchi from the Jos transmission substation to its Gombe substation from where it would now supply Bauchi.

Mbah, disclosed in a related statement that the transformer which caught fire on Tuesday was completely destroyed, necessitating the diversion of electricity supply from there to Gombe, and then to Bauchi.

She however explained that the burnt transmission system did not affect supply to Jos metropolis and its environ, adding that it would be replaced soon while an investigation into its cause would be initiated.

“The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) wishes to inform the general public that at about 16:45 hours, Tuesday 12th September 2017, a 1x150MVA 330/132/33kV power transformer in its Jos transmission substation, caught fire and the inferno completely destroyed the power transformer. The fire was eventually put out at about 10pm.

“The fire incident started on the secondary side of the transformer’s blue phase bushing, when a conductor snapped and caused oil to gush out of the bushing. This oil caused the fire to intensify engulfing the power transformer. TCN engineers in conjunction with the state fire service worked very hard to put out the fire, which unfortunately burnt down the power transformer,” Mbah, said in the statement.

According to her: “TCN engineers were able to successfully isolate the burning 150MVA, 330/132/33kV power transformer from other energised parts of the substation to prevent further escalation. As a result of the quick intervention, the second 1x150MVA, 330/132kV power transformer in the same transmission substation was saved.

“As at 11pm the same day, TCN engineers successfully restored the 330kV Gombe transmission line and the second 150MVA, 330/132/33kV power transformer supplying distribution load centers in Jos simultaneously.

“To ensure there is no impact on the power supply to Jos, TCN has successfully diverted the 30MW normally supplied from Jos substation, Gombe substation now supplies 30MW to Bauchi. The incidence did not cause disruption of power supply to Jos and environs,” she added.

Management, Mbah noted, “is intensifying effort to replace the burnt transformer. Equally investigation is being carried out to determine the immediate and remote cause of the incidence in order to forestall future occurrence. TCN regrets inconveniences caused electricity customers especially those in Jos and environs.”

 

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