Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has disclosed plans to upgrade operations to add 20,000MW of electricity in the country by the year 2020.
According to the Executive Director of TCN Mohammed Shaike, TCN is looking forward to work jointly with the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) to achieve the target. Shaike disclosed in Osogbo in a meeting to receive the members of Senate Committee on Privatization.
The committee was led by its Chairman, Senator Olugbenga Obadara.
Manitoba International has trained some of the technical staff abroad to acquire technical and strategic skills to help in the determination of developing technical manpower of the company. TCN’s General Manager, M.J. Lawal said the company’s power lines takes a maximum voltage of 330kv, adding that the company was also serving Benin and Niger Republics with the power.
He added that plans for upgrading the transmission lines were underway so they can take up more power to distribution companies.
11 new power projects that have been abandoned for over 11 years now following delays of equipment at the ports will also be relaunched. The company had been on massive rehabilitation and facility upgrade in order to meet modern standards since it was privatized in 2007.
Recently, 248 container loads of electricity equipment imported by the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) have been recovered from the Nigerian customs. It is expected that the equipment will instantaneously ensure that the abandoned projects are continued.
The projects are Abo, Nbese substation and Kano Hadejia transmission substations. Others are the Obas-Nnewi substation, Ikorodu Odogunya Ishagamu transmission line and the Nsuka- Ayanbas line. The company will also continue with the Danbata substations, Omotosho, Egbin, Aja lines, Acorn-Ibom 33kva line and Iganga-Ibora substation.
Also in the project line up is the supply of current transformers and capacitors voltage transformers. This will be carried out immediately the containers have been removed.
