502 stranded TCN containers so far recovered ―Fashola

ABOUT 502 stranded containers belonging to the Transmission Commission of Nigeria (TCN) have been claimed, the Minister, Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola on Tuesday said.

He said the containers, which had been left stranded at different ports across the country, are on transit to their various destinations.

Fashola spoke, at the presentation of the final report of the 20-year Transmission Master Plan at the TCN headquarters, Abuja.

According to him, this was made possible with the various efforts made by the current administration to increase the capacity of the company.

These, he said, include; budgetary committee on the part of the President, policy approvals, tax approval programmes, the N701 billion payment assurance guarantee, grid expansion programme.

“When this current administration was inaugurated in 2015, the story of the TCN is lack of capacity to transport energy. The story was that it has only the capacity to do 5,000MWs.

Things have changed, the President has given a mandate to the Ministry and by extension to TCN to improve its capacity to deliver service between the GenCos and DisCos and this is backed by policy approvals, tax approval programmes, N701 billion payment assurance guarantee, grid expansion programme and supported by budgetary committee which has been helpful.

“As at yesterday, we have been able to recover 500 containers belonging to TCN containing pieces of equipment that were meant for transmission expansion projects that were left at our ports before President Buhari became president. The containers have travelled to the intended destinations, TCN sites where works have resumed.”

He reaffirmed that as at December 2017, the TCN simulated capacity was 7125MWs adding that more projects will be completed this year.

While receiving the final report of the 20 years transmission expansion plan, the Minister said this will help ensure that issues of stranded power do not resurface in the future.

To this end, he urged all players in the power sector not to only familiarise themselves with the plan, but to also take ownership.

“there is a session of this plan that belongs to all of you,” he added.

He further urged the consultant, Fitchner, to ensure that the report is simplified into a booklet to be given to key players.

Earlier, the interim Managing Director (MD), Engineer Gur Mohammed explained that the 29 years Transmission Master Plan was conceived since the delivery of the National Load Demand Study in 2009.

According to him: “After the conclusion of National Load Demand, it became necessary for the nation to have the Least Cost Transmission and Generation Master Plan in order to meet the demand as explained in the load demand report.

“TCN engaged Fitchner of Germany under the NEGIP, which is a project financed by the World Bank in November 2015.

“The study started with data collection aimed at establishing the basis for the assignment. The data collection was followed by clarification by TCN System Planning Team in 2016.”

While presenting the final report to the Minister, he assured that the TCN took time to review the report by Fitchner.