*Plans to spend $3, 665million by 2030
*To borrow $1,538million from development banks
OpeOluwani Akintayo
Lagos — The Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN last year, spent a total sum of $800 million (N304.2 billion) on transmission lines which did not translate to steady power supply.
Documents obtained by SweetcrudeReports shows that the money was expended on seven transmission lines and substations to establish 10-gigawatts transmission network in the past year.
The sum of $334.8million was spent on additional transmission lines to relieve existing lines, however, those transmission lines were not identified.
Another $35million was spent on 330/132 kV transformers, and $78.2million on 132/33 and 132/11 kV Transformers to relieve existing transformers loaded above 100%.
On 132/33 and 132/11 kV transformers to relieve existing transformers loaded above 85%, the sum of $131.7million was spent, while $18.9million was expended on new reactors and capacitors.
Again, $201.1million was invested on new unidentified transmission lines.
Despite a total of $800million spent on transmission lines in the past year, Nigerians are yet to experience a stable power supply. The electricity generation companies, Gencos currently generate just a little above 4000-megawatts per day, with TCN being able to transmit just close to 2500MW to the DisCos.
The TCN, despite the huge amount spent last year plans to borrow another $5,203million which it wants to invest on other transmission projects from this year up until 2030.
According to the document, the projects have been broken down into two phases: the first containing nine projects will run from 2021 to 2025.
The project costs totaling $2, 076million will see a 330Kv transmission lines and substations in the North West Ring, and would gulp a total of $521.3million.
Other projects on the list include the 330 kV North East Ring to cost $651.5million, 330 kV Mambilla Network Connections for $291.6million, additional transmission lines to provide N-1 Reliability by 2025 to cost $283.7million, additional transmission lines to relieve existing lines by 2025 to cost $42million.
An additional 330/132 kV transformers by 2025 to cost $78.1million, 132/33 and 132/11 kV transformers for $68.2million, new reactive power compensation in Lagos Region for $50million, and costs for converting 330 kV DC lines to quad conductors for the sum of $90million.
The other project phase will be carried out between 2025 and 2030. They include:
| Voltage level | Transmission lines (million US$) | Substations (million US$) | Total (million US$) |
| 330Kv | 1161 | 220 | 1381 |
| 500Kv | 722 | 533 | 1256 |
| 750kV | 903 | 686 | 1589 |
The TCN said it is expecting financing from six development banks including the World Bank.
Other development banks expected for financing are: French Development Agency, AFD, Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA, African Development Bank, AFDB, Islamic Development Bank, IDB, and the French Development Agency, AFD.
| Development Bank | Total million US$ |
| AFD (French Development Agency – Agence Française de Développement) | 170 |
| JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) | 200 |
| AFDB (African Development Bank) | 200 |
| World Bank | 486 |
| Islamic Development Bank (IDB) | 210 |
| AFD (French Development Agency – Agence Française de Développement) | 272 |
| Total | 1,538 |
