Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, is blamed for lack of maintenance culture of its equipment that normally leads to incessant shut down of many TCN sub-stations in the country.
Mr. Raji Fashola, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, who passed the buck at the inauguration of TCN’s 60MVA mobile transformers at Ajah 330/132/33kv transmission sub-station in Lagos, observed that “Sub-stations do shut down suddenly and then there is no part available to put it back. So, we need to know the regular part that frequently breakdown so that we can make provision for it.
Go into your records and let us know the parts that damage frequently or once in six months, or damages that need to be upgraded. All these will help us plan ahead because they are all mechanical. We cannot be reacting all the time; we must be proactive.’”
The Minister wants sub-stations to take an inventory of all parts that get damaged regular and send it to the Ministry to get spare parts, noting that “If you cannot plan maintenance, you cannot provide service. Distribution Companies (DISCOs) want power and it is not good to have our sub-station shutting down all the time.”
Earlier at a meeting with staff of TCN, Fashola had observed, “We also reviewed the progress and the problems we are trying to solve in the communities like Egbema, Olorushogbo, Omotosho, Magboro in Ogun state. But we have reports that repairs at Magboro have been completed.
“The inability for some communities like Egbema to have energy for years has been looked upon and the work is in progress according to report. We also reviewed some communities in Ondo North and out of 36 communities, 16 have gotten power supply, while 20 work was ongoing in 20 communities.”
On metering, he noted that regulator, Nigerian Electricity Regulation Commission, NERC, has engaged the DisCos on possible way forward to solving metering crisis across the country, saying that “Five commissioners from NERC will be holding a consultation meeting with the DisCos to discuss issues relating to tariff, regulations and penalties for those who disobey the law by bypassing the meters.”
Responding, Mr. Geoffrey Nwokoye, General Manager, TCN Lagos Region, said the additional mobile transformer would improve transmission of power supply to residents of Alaguntan, Badore, Ibeju and Lakwe environs, assuring residents of the environs that the challenges associated with transmission in the area were over.
Mr. Oladele Amoda, Chief Executive Officer, Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), who said the new transformer would enable the DisCos to serve its numerous consumers better, explained that the commissioning of the transformer was an additional improvement in the evacuating of energy from Generation Companies (GENCOs).
