Poor generation: National grid loses 3,412MWs in two months ― TCN

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), on Tuesday, said the national grid lost about 3412MWs within the last two months.

This was even as it denied claims that it reduced the load allocation to distribution companies.

The Company made the disclosure in a statement issued by its Spokesperson, Mrs Ndidi Mba in Abuja.

It explained that a summary of the power generating profiles in the last two months had shown 14 gas-powered generating stations were either not generating at all or had limited generation at various times within the period.

The Company said the development had further depleted the quantum of power generation available for transmission into the grid on a daily basis.

Power generating stations in this category it said, include; Omotosho units 5 & 6, Olorunsogo units 3, 4 & 6, Omoku units 3 & 6, Omotosho NIPP units 3 & 4, Delta units 15, 17, and 18, Afam VI units 11 & 12, Olorunsogo NIPP unit 3, Ihovbor NIPP unit 2, Sapele Steam unit 3, Sapele NIPP unit 1, Odukpani NIPP units 1 & 3, and Okpai units 11, 12 & 18.

In a breakdown, TCN said within the period, Jebba Hydro and Shiroro generating stations were either out or had limited generation, causing additional loss of 232MW from the grid.

It said other power generating plants such as Omotosho units 3&4, Olorunsogo units 1, Delta units 10 &20, Afam VI unit 13, Ihovbor NIPP units 4, Geregu NIPP units 22&23 and Odukpani NIPP units 2, 4 & 5, have also been out either on fault or for scheduled maintenance, causing a further loss of about 3,180MW from the grid.

ALSO READ FROM  NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

• Ukrainian Soldiers Threatened To Shoot Us —Returnee Students
• Alleged Defilement: Baba Ijesha Weeps In Court, Says Princess His Ex-Lover

It said the GenCos had attributed the poor generation to inadequate gas supply, technical fault, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance.

“A combination of the above scenarios have persisted and the total effect on the grid is persistent low generation, which TCN Operators have had to strive to dispatch in a way that will not jeopardize the stability of the grid,” it said.

It further stated: “From the 1st to 4th of March, 2022, there was generation shortfall due to water management in Shiroro and Jebba hydro with the loss of 307MW and 125MW respectively from both stations.

“Within the same period, there were fault and technical problems in Egbin, causing 514MW shortfall and in Geregu causing 230MW shortfall, while reported fault at Alaoji NIPP reduced generation from the substation by 263MW,” the statement noted.

Consequently, TCN said gas constraint alone in Olorunsogo gas generating plant reduced generation from the station by 104MW, adding that Omotosho gas lost 102MW while Sapele NIPP lost 263MW.

“In Omotosho NIPP, there was generation shortfall of 233MW and in Omoku a shortfall of 112MW. Two units in Okpai have limited generation due to technical problems causing a 204MW drop in generation and in Afam VI 511MW drop in generation.

“Gas constraint and fault in Olorunsogo NIPP reduced generation by 240MW, Geregu NIPP by 435MW, and Ihovbor by 142MW. Also, due to gas pipeline pigging, Odukpani NIPP was SHUT DOWN which caused a reduction of generation by 575MW,” it noted.

To this end, the current load shedding being experienced nationwide was due to very low power generation by the Generation Companies (GENCOs) for wheeling through the transmission grid to distribution companies nationwide.

“TCN can only transmit the quantum of power generated by GenCos through the national grid to distribution load centres nationwide.

“For clarity, TCN does not generate electricity and therefore can only transport cumulative generation from all the generation companies nationwide to distribution load centres.

“The distribution companies are responsible for end-user consumption. TCN allocates power to distribution companies based on approved percentage (formula approved by NERC), of the total generation available per hour or on the day-ahead nomination,” the statement read.

However, it noted that except cumulative power generation increases considerably for onward transmission to distribution companies, it will be left with no choice than to continue to load shed.

“We will however continue to work hard to ensure the efficient allocation of the total load generated by the power generating stations into the grid, bearing in mind the need to ensure that the national grid is stable in spite of the challenges posed by insufficient load on the transmission grid,” it said.

How Workplace Sexual Harassment Forces Many Out Of Their Dream Jobs

Poor generation: National grid loses 3412MWs in two months ― TCN

Marburg Virus: What You Need To Know About Disease Recently Detected In West Africa

Poor generation: National grid loses 3,412MWs in two months ― TCN