Electricity: TCN, Discos trade accusations

THE Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has accused electricity Distribution companies (DisCos) of deliberate rejection of load on assertion that it (TCN) is the weakest link in the power value chain.

It claimed that most DisCos load-sheds on 11kv fidders for two to three hours due to their inability to pay market operators.

Speaking in Abuja yesterday at a briefing organized by the TCN, the Managing Director MD/ CEO, TCN, Dr Abubakar Atiku said so far, the highest energy recorded in the system since February, 2016 was 5,074MWs.

He explained that the company has the capacity to transmit up to 5,500MWs noting that it can also transfer such to distribution companies.

“On the issues of DisCos rejecting loads on assertion of weakest link, let me make it very clear that we don’t that believe in TCN that we are the weakest link.

“So far, the highest energy that was recorded in the system since 2nd, February, 2016 is 5,074MWs and TCN was able to take it from generation to distribution companies and we have the capacity to transmit up to 5,500MWs and like I said in our expansion plan, we are working towards being on top of generation at any given time.

“So even with the anticipated increase in generation, we still have the capacity to transfer this energy to distribution companies. On the issue of rejecting load, I will say yes, it is still happening. I don’t want to mention the distribution companies that are doing this but they know themselves.

“Most of them are loadshedding 11kv fidders for two to three hours simply because they cannot pay to the market operators, the invoice given to them that they consume. So they use that system to deny customers power.

“So I want to make it clear that we know because the system operator monitors on 24 hours basis and it does the allocation. So he knew those distribution companies that are rejecting loads and we have records for that.”

Meanwhile, the Distribution Companies DisCos have  as a matter of fact, insisted that the TCN is the weakest link in the power value chain adding that this had often led to their shortfall records.