The relative stability in electricity supply and an all-time high power generation may lead to a system collapse that could plunge the nation into a blackout, New Telegraph has learnt. Investigations showed that the nation’s weak national electricity grid built severely decades ago was the weakest link in the transmission infrastructure.

The grid, which was built with capacity to retain about 4, 000 Mega Watt (MW), is now serving as a storage for over 4,500 Mega Watt (MW). Nigeria had last week broken a new record in power transmission, as the National Grid Transmission recorded another peak of 4, 656 Mega Watt (MW) a few days after it broke the last record. An engineer with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) told our correspondent at the weekend that the grid is “currently over-laboured” by the new peak in power transmission. The company’s management, he said, was aware of the danger to its achievements in the last three weeks and had deployed engineers “to ensure that the good news on the power transmission is not short-lived.”

Although the system operations (SO) of TCN had secured spinning reserve contracts of 295mw to provide stability and cushion the system in the event of a sudden load/generation changeover, the facility, which is cardinal to electricity mega watts (MW) storage and transmission, he said, “was built some decades ago and is in dire need of total overhaul.”
The TCN confirmed at the weekend that the grid had suffered 35 failures in two-and-a-half years. It, however, said the collapse was majorly caused by gas supply and not necessarily transmission constraints. But General Manager, Public affairs of TCN, Mrs. Seun Olagunju, said in a statement that the company only suffered four system collapses in the first two quarters of 2015. “Unlike 2013 and 2014 when the sector had persistent records of collapses; 22 in 2013 and nine in 2014, all of which resulted in degrees of power cuts in the system, (Nigeria) has only had four from January to June following upgrades in the system,” she added. Two of the four incidents, she said, occurred in May and resulted in low generation of about 1,400 megawatts (mw). Olagunju also explained that most of the collapses had come from shortages in gas supply and not necessarily from transmission constraints.
“It is public knowledge that the frequency of system collapses has been going down drastically following several equipment and infrastructure upgrade by TCN besides aggressive capacity building of the system operators,” Olagunju said. She stated that in 2013, there were 22 instances of system collapse and in 2014, this was drastically brought down to nine.
“This year, the transmission grid has experienced only four system collapses out of which two in May is attributable to extremely low generation of around 1400mw due to gas supply shortages. “In fact, majority of these collapses are due to shortages in gas supply, which creates serious load/generation imbalance. But there is a serious effort ongoing to reduce these collapses,” she said.
According to her, the system operations (SO) of TCN has secured spinning reserve contracts of 295 mw to provide stability and cushion the system in the event of a sudden load/ generation changeover. Olagunju, however, did not disclose the details of the spinning reserve contract, especially the particulars of the generation outfit that has been contracted for the spinning reserve.

But she said the TCN would continue to work at enhancing the transmission capacity and reliability of the national grid in order to provide improved and sustainable power delivery to public electricity distribution companies in the country. Although the Federal Government has privatised the generation and distribution strata of electricity and handed their assets over to new owners, the grid is still under government’s control due to its ownership of allimportant transmission system. The Federal Government is still engaged mainly in maintenance of the national grid, which is due for overhaul.

http://newtelegraphonline.com/blackout-looms-as-tcn-exceeds-installed-capacity/

cc lalasticlala

The three sectors Generation, Transmission and distribution needs upgrading.

Are they saying Baba is over working?

prestige2t013:
f

Investment is transmission lines is very costly and this is one of the reasons the government didn't privatize the TRANSCO and the other is political to ensure fairness and stability of supply to all parts of the country. However more investment needs to be made in the transmission sector as between 1990 and 2000 no single penny was spent to upgrade electricity infrastructure in Nigeria. Obasanjo and good luck spent huge among of money to try and kickstart the sector again.
It is imperative that investment is found for transco because with the new LNG train 7 set to kick off, gas supply to plants would be more constant.

so we're just destined to have blackout either way? ok

Buhari don over score Goal.

On a serious note, does it means that the Nigeria Power system has been configure to undergenerate the require MegawattS?

BABSIN:
The relative stability in electricity supply and an all-time high power generation may lead to a system collapse that could plunge the nation into a blackout, New Telegraph has learnt. Investigations showed that the nation’s weak national electricity grid built severely decades ago was the weakest link in the transmission infrastructure.

The grid, which was built with capacity to retain about 4, 000 Mega Watt (MW), is now serving as a storage for over 4,500 Mega Watt (MW). Nigeria had last week broken a new record in power transmission, as the National Grid Transmission recorded another peak of 4, 656 Mega Watt (MW) a few days after it broke the last record. An engineer with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) told our correspondent at the weekend that the grid is “currently over-laboured” by the new peak in power transmission. The company’s management, he said, was aware of the danger to its achievements in the last three weeks and had deployed engineers “to ensure that the good news on the power transmission is not short-lived.”

Although the system operations (SO) of TCN had secured spinning reserve contracts of 295mw to provide stability and cushion the system in the event of a sudden load/generation changeover, the facility, which is cardinal to electricity mega watts (MW) storage and transmission, he said, “was built some decades ago and is in dire need of total overhaul.”
The TCN confirmed at the weekend that the grid had suffered 35 failures in two-and-a-half years. It, however, said the collapse was majorly caused by gas supply and not necessarily transmission constraints. But General Manager, Public affairs of TCN, Mrs. Seun Olagunju, said in a statement that the company only suffered four system collapses in the first two quarters of 2015. “Unlike 2013 and 2014 when the sector had persistent records of collapses; 22 in 2013 and nine in 2014, all of which resulted in degrees of power cuts in the system, (Nigeria) has only had four from January to June following upgrades in the system,” she added. Two of the four incidents, she said, occurred in May and resulted in low generation of about 1,400 megawatts (mw). Olagunju also explained that most of the collapses had come from shortages in gas supply and not necessarily from transmission constraints.
“It is public knowledge that the frequency of system collapses has been going down drastically following several equipment and infrastructure upgrade by TCN besides aggressive capacity building of the system operators,” Olagunju said. She stated that in 2013, there were 22 instances of system collapse and in 2014, this was drastically brought down to nine.
“This year, the transmission grid has experienced only four system collapses out of which two in May is attributable to extremely low generation of around 1400mw due to gas supply shortages. “In fact, majority of these collapses are due to shortages in gas supply, which creates serious load/generation imbalance. But there is a serious effort ongoing to reduce these collapses,” she said.
According to her, the system operations (SO) of TCN has secured spinning reserve contracts of 295 mw to provide stability and cushion the system in the event of a sudden load/ generation changeover. Olagunju, however, did not disclose the details of the spinning reserve contract, especially the particulars of the generation outfit that has been contracted for the spinning reserve.

But she said the TCN would continue to work at enhancing the transmission capacity and reliability of the national grid in order to provide improved and sustainable power delivery to public electricity distribution companies in the country. Although the Federal Government has privatised the generation and distribution strata of electricity and handed their assets over to new owners, the grid is still under government’s control due to its ownership of allimportant transmission system. The Federal Government is still engaged mainly in maintenance of the national grid, which is due for overhaul.

http://newtelegraphonline.com/blackout-looms-as-tcn-exceeds-installed-capacity/

ok

Ok

[quote author=INTROVERT post=36068472][/quote]

[quote author=INTROVERT post=36068472][/quote]
I woke up before you.

What next no light again ni or what

9jii:
.

prestige2013:
The three sectors Generation, Transmission and distribution needs upgrading.

[quote author=INTROVERT post=36068472][/quote]

Wahala dey!! see as internet speed the conflict..3 post within a minute all t 7.33

This news is only for those that still use PHCN light, we wey neva get light since last year e no concern us, if e like make e overflow or overgenerate or overbreakdown sef, na their palava

Upon all this so called improvement in power, we are still being rationed power by Abuja DISCO, we do not get power at all during the day, only at nite and early morning(8:00pm to 6:00am)!

INTROVERT:



Investment is transmission lines is very costly and this is one of the reasons the government didn't privatize the TRANSCO and the other is political to ensure fairness and stability of supply to all parts of the country. However more investment needs to be made in the transmission sector as between 1990 and 2000 no single penny was spent to upgrade electricity infrastructure in Nigeria. Obasanjo and good luck spent huge among of money to try and kickstart the sector again.
It is imperative that investment is found for transco because with the new LNG train 2 set to kick off, gas supply to plants would be more constant.

good post man

INTROVERT:



Investment is transmission lines is very costly and this is one of the reasons the government didn't privatize the TRANSCO and the other is political to ensure fairness and stability of supply to all parts of the country. However more investment needs to be made in the transmission sector as between 1990 and 2000 no single penny was spent to upgrade electricity infrastructure in Nigeria. Obasanjo and good luck spent huge among of money to try and kickstart the sector again.
It is imperative that investment is found for transco because with the new LNG train 2 set to kick off, gas supply to plants would be more constant.

Good analysis ma'am.

@bolded: You mean Train 7, no?

Plssss! I dnt understand. Wat ar dey insinuating will happen.

As a power systems engineer, I hate it when politics is being drawn into my field. Please take note that the recent power gains is as a result of the past administration, as anything that deals with power takes years to see the result. Baba has not added 1kW to the power infrastructure, go and check. My only advice to him or his next power minister is to concentrate on Transmission, because Generation and Distribution have been privatized. Our grid is old and needs major and I mean major overhauling. Very soon new power plants will come on stream and we won't be able to evacuate the power because of over labored transmission lines, basically what am saying is that the loading on our transmission should be at most 75% of grid capacity.

BABSIN:
Buhari don over score Goal.

On a serious note, does it means that the Nigeria Power system has been configure to undergenerate the require MegawattS?

It is well.

Is Nigeria cursed?

There's no how we won't find ourselves at thus state when power generation was always revolving around 1000MW and 2500MW in the last one decade.

No sir, Nigeria is not cursed. We have just refused to think and plan ahead. For example, there was a year I read about Nigeria having over 10,000 abandoned projects. Now if you check it, you will find that a lot of these projects weren't thoroughly thought out or pride (in the sense that the new govt doesn't want to finish what the previous govt started instead they started their own which won't be completed either)

Yungwizzzy:
Is Nigeria cursed?

gonon:
As a power systems engineer, I hate it when politics is being drawn into my field. Please take note that the recent power gains is as a result of the past administration, as anything that deals with power takes years to see the result. Baba has not added 1kW to the power infrastructure, go and check. My only advice to him or his next power minister is to concentrate on Transmission, because Generation and Distribution have been privatized. Our grid is old and needs major and I mean major overhauling. Very soon new power plants will come on stream and we won't be able to evacuate the power because of over labored transmission lines, basically what am saying is that the loading on our transmission should be at most 75% of grid capacity.

The bulk power been generated now is as a result of what - high water level or constant supply of gas?
During Gej administration there was gas shortage in which gencos running on gas shut down their turbines since it won't run on air. There is constant supply of gas now all hands on deck.

Enough of line limitation from Transco, the sector needs upgrading.

For we to get the transformation in the power sector Change ought to start from Generation to Transmission and then Distribution and not the way round. The effect of the changes the discos are implementing can't not be felt without the Change in Gencos and Transcos.

gonon:
As a power systems engineer, I hate it when politics is being drawn into my field. Please take note that the recent power gains is as a result of the past administration, as anything that deals with power takes years to see the result. Baba has not added 1kW to the power infrastructure, go and check. My only advice to him or his next power minister is to concentrate on Transmission, because Generation and Distribution have been privatized. Our grid is old and needs major and I mean major overhauling. Very soon new power plants will come on stream and we won't be able to evacuate the power because of over labored transmission lines, basically what am saying is that the loading on our transmission should be at most 75% of grid capacity.

hmmm

Super story.

If the grid cannot hold more than 4000 and you have more than that a time. It is just common sense that you transmitt as soon as you generate. Afterall there are so many parts of this country where they dont see 10 hours a day power supply.

You can only feed us this scrap when the entire country is get 24/7 power supply.

9jii:
Are they saying Baba is over working?

That is it oo!! But it is a serious problem from the look of things. The system is overloaded and there are just two options they could follow: in the short run, they could shed the system of some load with the negative consequence of reduction in power supply. Or they could improve on the transmission capacity which could take a bit more time.

Whatever it is, we still need a lot of improvement in the power sector and I believe Baba is the right man for the job.

ollyruffy:
Super story.

If the grid cannot hold more than 4000 and you have more than that a time. It is just common sense that you transmitt as soon as you generate. Afterall there are so many parts of this country where they dont see 10 hours a day power supply.

You can only feed us this scrap when the entire country is get 24/7 power supply.

Super smile....
The power generated or transmitted at that level can't be stored, when generated, it been transmitted for utilization.

There should be more investment. We Nigerians don't plan.

I think we need to break down the transmission.

To overhaul the entire National grid may be quit challenging. Breaking the grid to component would make it easier to deal with.

I know that one day, we will get it right. How long is what I don't know.

Stupid lies, I still don't get light like I used to joor

BABSIN:
Buhari don over score Goal.

On a serious note, does it means that the Nigeria Power system has been configure to undergenerate the require MegawattS?

Did you know since what year the transmission cables had been laid?
Did u know the populations of the country and the capacity requirements that inform d choice of those cables then?
No!. Don't blame TCN. Rather d fault is with NEPA and successive govt policy which is more reactive than proactive in nature.