TCN: Grid Collapses, Disturbances Declined 76% in 9 Years Amid 185 Cases

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) yesterday said it succeeded in reducing grid disturbances and collapses in Nigeria by as much as 76.47 per cent, amid occurrence of 105 incidences between 2015 and 2024.

A statement from the wholly controlled government company stated that in recent years, the number of grid disturbances and system collapses had gradually reduced, contrary to popular opinion.

TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, said in the statement, “Clearly, between 2020 to date, a period of five years, we recorded 14 total and six partial grid disturbances, totalling 20, which represents a 76.47 per cent reduction in grid disturbance.

“This is when compared to the previous five years, which is 2015 to 2019, where we had 64 total and 21 partial grid disturbances 85 times.”

According to the organisation, the improvement is attributable to recent efforts by the current management of the TCN. It said the management had taken advantage of in-house talents to make the grid work better.

The statement added, “This improvement is, however, not unconnected to the continuous effort by the management under the Managing Director/Chief Executive of TCN, Sule Abdulaziz, to strategically expand the grid while harnessing in-house capacities to find solutions to grid stability, pending the deployment of SCADA/EMS.”

It explained that while there was room for improvement, TCN will continue to work hard to further reduce the number of grid disturbances to the barest minimum.

Meanwhile, TCN said its attention had been drawn to false media reports by Jos Distribution Company (Disco) that it restored partial power supply to some parts of Gombe and that only 5mw of supply had been allocated to its distribution franchise on Saturday, April 27, 2024.

“TCN wishes to state unequivocally that such reports are false and misleading,” the organisation said. “It should be noted that due to the vandalism of the four towers on 330kV Jos-Gombe transmission line, TCN engineers improvised and were able to restore supply through its Jos-Bauchi-Gombe 132kV line, which can only accommodate 38mw,” it added.

TCN also said, “As a result, TCN allocates 19mw each to Jos Disco and Yola Disco, which its Bauchi region interfaces with.”

TCN noted that Jos Disco had 19MW to supply its franchise in Bauchi State, Gombe and Ashaka, while Yola Disco also had 19mw to serve its customers in Potiskum and Damaturu Town via Damagun 33kV feeder, Savannah and Yola Town.

TCN stated, “Importantly, TCN frowns on the claim by Jos Disco that it restored supply on the vandalised transmission lines, as the power infrastructure in question is not Jos Disco’s, but TCN’s.  Therefore, only TCN’s engineers worked on restoring bulk power through lines.

“We appeal that going forward, Jos Disco simply states issues as they are to avoid misleading the public.”