The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is collaborating
with the Japanese Government to build transmission facilities in the country,
The Nation has learnt.
The Japanese Government is specifically targeting Lagos for
such investment.
TCN’s Acting Managing Director/Chief Executive, Usman Gur
Mohammed, told The Nation in Lagos that the firm wants to double the
transmission capacity and would be doing that from one part of the country to
the other.
Muhammed said the TCN would put significant transmission
capacity between Lagos and Ogun states and was collaborating with these states
governments to actualise that.
According to him, the transmission firm wants to double the
transmission capacity or put additional 50 per cent of the existing capacity.
He noted that the Japanese Government was looking at
building new and rehabilitating dysfunctional substations in Lagos.
The TCN chief said: “The TCN is doing a lot in recent times,
especially under this government because of the kind of support that we are
getting. Recently, we did advert on transmission capacity in Lagos.
“In every substation in Lagos, we are putting almost half of
the capacity that is there. We are doubling the capacity.
“We are working in collaboration with some other multilateral
donors, such as the Japanese government to build some of the substations. For
example, Apapa has been taken over by the Japanese government. They are looking
at Ojo and Isolo. Those two places will be rehabilitated by the Japanese
Government.
“Generally, Lagos State is very important to TCN and it is
working hard to ensure it puts enough transmission capacity there to be able to
meet the needs of the electricity distribution companies in Lagos.”
On the claims that transmission is the weakest link in the
power supply value chain, Mohammed said this was not true as transmission is ahead of
generation and distribution links of the chain.
He said: “Whoever says TCN is the weakest link in the power
supply value chain is ignorant of the sector. Transmission is not the weakest
link in the chain. Our capacity is higher than all the other arms of the
industry. We also have plans to expand the capacity of the transmission more
than any other arm of the sector. So, we are always ahead of them and will continue
to be ahead of them.”
The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde
Fashola, confirmed what Mohammed said. Fashola said the TCN has capacity to
wheel over 6,000 megawatts (Mw) of power.
“Today, we have more power available to go on the grid over
6000Mw because generation and transmission have improved. The capacities are
above what the distribution companies (DisCos) can carry. So, they have to play
catch up,” the Minister added.
0 comments:
Post a Comment