*List of completed, pending projects
*To borrow more funds until 2030
OpeOluwani Akintayo
Lagos — Many, most of the time would bypass checking on the activities of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, including those of the GenCos, and would rather exact pressure on electricity utility firms due to their (DisCos) proximity to electricity consumers.
The TCN is responsible for transmitting electricity produced by the generation companies, GenCos to DisCos. So, while consumers are most interested in what gets to them, what they get largely depends on TCN’s capacity when it comes to wheeling power generated by the GenCos.
Data sourced from the electricity market regulator, NERC showed that TCN since 2019, wheeled electricity in the range of between 2300GWh-2900GWh in 2019, and then a little above 3000GWh as at last December- these figures represent energy delivered to DisCos and those exported to neighbouring countries like Niger Republic, Benin Republic, Togo, and Cameroun.
A breakdown showed that as of January 2019, a total of 2602GWh was sent out to the DisCos and exported, 2593GWh in February, 2665GWh in March, 2729GWh in April, 2819GWh in May, June 2440GWh, July 2600GWh, August 2714GWh, and September 2535GWh.
In October 2019, a total of 2349GWh was wheeled to DisCos and exported, 2440 GWh in November, and 2564GWh in December.
In January 2020, 2602GWh was sent to DisCos by the TCN, 2593GWh in February, 2665GWh March, 2729GWh in April, 2819GWh in May, and in June, 2440GWh.
In other months in 2020; 2600GWh was sent to DisCos and exported in July, 2741GWh in August, 2535GWh in September, 2843GWh in October, 2903GWh in November, and 3053GWh in December.
In total, TCN sent out 32, 527GWh of electricity in 2020.
Megawatts and Gigawatts explained
Megawatts are used to measure the output of a power plant or the amount of electricity required by an entire city. One megawatt (MW) = 1,000 kilowatts = 1,000,000 watts, while Gigawatts measure the capacity of large power plants or of many plants. One gigawatt (GW) = 1,000 megawatts = 1 billion watts.
Energy injected VS energy wheeled
On energy injected into the grid- a total of 2936GWh was injected in January 2019, in February 2776GWh, 3087 in March, 2798GWh in April, 2635GWh in May, 2737GWh in June, 2737GWh in July, 2639GWh in August, 2513GWh in September, 2514GWh in October, 2647GWh in November, and 2769GWh in December.
In January 2020, a total of 2812GWh of energy was sent into the grid, 2825GWh in February, 2862GWh in March, 2900GWh in April, 3062GWh in May, June, 2640GWh, 2810GWh in July, 2966GWh in August, and 2742GWh in September. In October, 3067GWh was sent, 3118GWh in November, and 3295GWh was sent to the grid.
A total of 35, 103GWh energy was sent into the grid from January-December 2020, as against TCN’s capacity to wheel a total of 32, 527GWh.
As a result, a Transmission Loss Factor, TLF of 7.34 percent was recorded within two years, and a Multi-Year Tariff Order, MYTO assumed TLF of 8 percent.
The transmission company recorded 14 total system collapse and one partial system collapse in those two years.
Expends $800million on transmission lines in 2020
Again, TCN last year, spent a total sum of $800 million (N304.2 billion) on transmission lines which did not yield any tangible result.
Documents obtained by SweetcrudeReports showed that the money was expended on seven transmission lines and substations to establish 10gigawatts 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 stated.
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 in new unstated transmission lines.
Despite a total of $800million was 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 4000megawatts per day, with TCN being able to transmit just close to 2500MW to the DisCos.
…plans to spend $3, 665million by 2030
The TCN, despite the huge amount spent last year plans to borrow another $5,203million which it wants to invest in 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 |
…to borrow $1,538million from development banks
The TCN said it is expecting financing from six development banks including the World Bank.
Other development banks expected for financing are: French Development Agency, AFD, Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA, African Development Bank, AFDB, Islamic Development Bank, IDB, and the French Development Agency, AFD.
Development Bank | Total million US$ |
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 |