TCN mulls expansion of transmission network to boost revenue, electricity supply

…unveils plan to integrate renewable energy into the national grid

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has disclosed plans to expand its network to areas of high profitability. According to the company, this move seeks to improve its revenue base and enhance electricity supply to customers.

 

The company, noting that financial growth is of great importance to sustaining its activities, said it is actively seeking new viable eligible customers on the transmission network. It is also exploring new business opportunities and partnerships to diversify the company’s revenue streams and improve its financial stability.

“Financial growth is very important to sustaining the activities of TCN. Towards this end, TCN will explore the improvement of its revenue through the optimisation of Fibre Optics/OPGW facilities, especially the unutilized and underutilised ones.

“We will take deliberate steps that will lead to the reduction of transmission losses to minimise transmission loss factor financial penalties, and develop and implement cost-saving initiatives to reduce expenses and improve the overall financial performance of the company.

“By implementing the above, TCN will not only increase its revenue but also satisfy the needs of DisCos, GenCos, international customers, and eligible customers, thus achieving more financially sustainable business growth,” the company stated in a document detailing its achievements.

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The company said that it currently has the capacity to wheel 8,700 MW of bulk electricity on 330kV and 132kV voltage levels from power generation plants through high-voltage transmission lines and transformers to distribution load centres nationwide.

With the increase in demand for renewable energy sources and their benefits to the environment, TCN stated it will invest in research and innovation to develop new solutions that can integrate renewable energy into the national grid in a more effective and efficient manner.

It explained that with the global push towards sustainable energy, innovative solutions, such as integrating renewable energy sources into its transmission network, will be explored.

Under the leadership of Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, the company has recorded notable progress in project delivery and launched an ambitious digital transformation initiative through the Nigerian Electricity Grid Maintenance, Expansion, and Rehabilitation Program (NEGMERP).

 

This program, according to the company, has enabled the implementation of numerous capital and reinforcement projects across various transmission regions, thereby strengthening the grid for efficient electricity evacuation and transmission.

“Notably, TCN has completed several substations, initiated the re-conductoring of ageing and low-capacity transmission lines, replaced aged transformers with new ones, and upgraded the capacities of existing transformers.

 

“To enhance efficiency and effectiveness, TCN embraced digital transformation through the utilisation of internal solutions and vendor-procured applications. Before the unbundling of TCN, this transformation encompassed the upgrade of the TCN web portal, NSONG, to achieve transparency and facilitate the exchange of information critical to market operations,” it added.

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The company added that these projects have improved bulk power transmission to various distribution load centres nationwide, making it possible for distribution companies to offtake more power for onward distribution, consequently impacting socio-economic activities positively across the states.