By Constance Athekame
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says it has delivered 22 brand new power transformers and other critical equipment to its Central Store in Ojo, Lagos.
Mrs Ndidi Mbah, the General Manager Public Affairs of TCN’s made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.
Mbah said that as more of the equipment arrive Lagos Port for onward delivery to the store, they would be subsequently installed at various ongoing project sites across the country.
She said that some of the equipment would be kept in the store to serve as spares for future use.
The TCN official said that massive and unprecedented stockpile of various kinds of transmission equipment were gradually being moved to project sites for maintenance.
”New projects and upgrading of existing transmission lines and substation are also being carried out.
”The equipment described as the highest of such in the company’s history, comprising 22 power transformers, haulage trucks, transmission switchyard spare parts, 45 number earthing transformers,
”Suspension clamps, vibration dampers, armour rods, circuit breakers, current transformer, voltage transformers, 100 tonnes of crane truck heads,’’ she said.
Mbah said that recently the Technical and Monitoring Committee of the Governing Board of TCN led by the Committee’s Chairman, Mr Nsima Ekere, visited the Ojo store to inspect a large number of equipment.
She said that the visit was part of the committee’s two-day visit to Lagos region where they inspected key power transmission substations.
Speaking after the inspection, Ekere lauded TCN for the record stock delivery to the store.
He said that the committee had seen loads of equipment that gave the members hope that the new dawn “that is expected at the company is here’’.
”We saw about 30 forklifts, mobile transformers, reconditioning facilities, all kinds of things, the conductors, isolators, several other equipment and electric scaffold mobile scissors among others.
”These are all to improve the capacity of TCN’s efficiency in doing their work. I am convinced that the transmission grid expansion project that TCN is presently executing is ongoing
”I must also commend the World Bank and other donor agencies that are helping us with funding,” he said.
According to him, with the massive stock at the TCN central store, the capacity of TCN to wheel power is definitely being enhanced.
The Managing Director of TCN, Mr Sule Abdulaziz said that most of the equipment were procured for donor funded projects supported by the World Bank, French Development Agency (AFD), African Development Bank, among others.
Abdulaziz, said that the resources had been committed by donor agencies, assisting the transmission company in its grid expansion drive.
He said that the capacity of the transformers ranges from 60 MVA up to 150MVA.
“We have not seen this level of massive supply of materials in TCN stores in the past, purely for network expansion and maintenance.
”We have 150MVA transformers which are very massive and will eventually be connected on our 330kV circuit.
”We have the 100MVA transformers, high-grade cranes and other equipment. It implies that the turnaround time to rectify faults when they occur and the downtime have been reduced,” he said.
He listed other equipment delivered to the Lagos store to include circuit breakers, isolators, aluminium conductors among others.
According to him, the equipment is what TCN requires to ensure that the system becomes more stable.
He said that with the new equipment, TCN can now ensure constant maintenance of the grid due to availability of spares.
”Also, expansion and prompt scheduled maintenance of the grid will ensure a more efficient and effective transportation of bulk electricity to distribution load centre’s nationwide for the benefit of Nigerians.
”The projects, when completed, will further enhance the quality and stability of bulk supply as well as longer hours of power supply, ”he said. (NAN)
