On Wednesday, the Federal Government stated that the Nigerian Power grid had been operational for 400 days without any major disruptions or system failures.
It was said that the achievement represented a significant progress in the country’s efforts to enhance its power infrastructure and provide a consistent and predictable energy supply to distribution load centers for onward distribution to electricity users worldwide.
The government revealed this in a statement issued by the Transmission Company of Nigeria, stating that grid stability could be credited to TCN’s strategic actions and investments in the electrical system.
“Some of the key elements that have contributed to this remarkable accomplishment include configuration and enforcement of Free Governor Control, effective Under-frequency Relay Scheme, among others.
“TCN constituted a three-person committee, which was formed to go round the country for the configuration and activation of primary reserve in coordination with power stations and in line with the provisions in the grid code.
“This committee devised a robust monitoring and enforcement mechanism for generating station compliance after activating the unit governor control. This innovative approach, known as Free Governor Mode of Operation, automatically adjusts generation in response to frequency changes, ensuring stability, reliability, and reduced transmission losses,” the firm stated.
It noted that the Under Frequency Relay Scheme, countered the challenges posed by occasional generation shortfalls and resulting frequency declines.
“This scheme operates in critical stages to prevent frequency-related disruptions by initiating circuit breaker trips or alerting network operators, thereby averting system collapse.
TCN in-house engineers deployed the IoT/VPN for Enhanced Grid Visibility by creating an interim solution utilising loT sensors and devices. This real-time monitoring capability aids proactive issue identification, preventing potential disruptions. Efforts are ongoing to expand this visibility by incorporating additional transmission stations through loT integration,” TCN stated.
