Frequent grid collapse: TCN deploys SCADA to expose load rejection by DisCos

Oredola Adeola

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has revealed the plan to deploy its newly acquired Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) to expose frequent grid collapse and energy rejection by Distribution Companies (DISCOs).

This was revealed by Ekere Nsima, TCN’s Board Chairman, on Monday in Lagos, when the Board members embarked on an inspection tour of the TCN’s central store, in Ojo, Lagos, evaluating investment in equipment and spare on Monday.

According to him, based on recent investigations by an ad hoc committee set up by the TCN’s Board, on frequent grid collapse, it was revealed that load rejection by the Distribution Companies of Nigeria(DisCos) has always subjected the grid to high frequency.

EnergyDay’s check showed that the SCADA system is software used to monitor and control an electrical grid system based on information collected from substations within the system.

The TCN’s Board Chairman said, “As the co-chair of the committee, after conducting a thorough investigation of the crisis, we discovered that the issue of grid collapse and liability is a complex issue.

“I can tell you the fault is not from TCN. We have seen what the issues are; a lot from Generation Companies (GENCOs) and DISCOs,” he said.

“Most times, when energy is transmitted to the DisCos, are not used, thereby affecting the frequency and ultimately negatively impacting the grid.

“When the DISCOs were given to the private sector, if you recollect, there were some investments they were supposed to make within a certain period to enhance their operation, but unfortunately, they didn’t.

“Also, right now, because they didn’t make the investments, they are not able to distribute the power they get today from generation and transmission.

“The SCADA will help ascertain how much is generated and transmitted. They will stop blaming us, and Nigerians will see it themselves.

“So, TCN is in the process of installing a SCADA system, and we know that once this is in place and deployed, it will help to get substance with grid collapse and liability,” he said.

Nsima however charged the DISCOs to scale up investment in their infrastructure and improve capacities to evacuate the available power transmitted to their network.

Commenting on the state of the warehouse in Ojo and its Lagos West substations in Ayobo and Alagbon, the Board Chairman revealed that TCN has improved immensely with the acquisition of infrastructure.

He said, “With what we have seen here and what TCN is doing, our wheeling capacity is gradually improving.

“But we have to make sure that the generating companies are generating enough, and we also have to make sure that the DisCos can distribute,” he said.