KEY POINTS

• TCN says the Ikeja Electric outages reported on November 3 and 4 were not caused by instability in its transmission network.
• The transmission company attributes the reduced electricity supply to lower power generation caused by gas supply constraints and reduced hydroelectric output.
• TCN says 68 per cent of interruptions recorded on feeders supplying Ikeja Electric on November 1 and 2 resulted from load shedding due to low generation.
• It also accuses the distribution company of non-compliance with load allocation and faults on its own network.

MAIN STORY

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has rejected Ikeja Electric’s claim that grid instability caused the Band A electricity outages it reported on November 3 and 4, saying the disruption resulted mainly from reduced power generation rather than a failure of the transmission network.

In a statement on Friday in Lagos, TCN’s General Manager, Corporate Communication Unit, Ndidi Mba, described the attribution as inaccurate and misleading. She said only the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) had the authority to determine the causes of disturbances and interruptions on the national grid.

Mba cited Section 67 of the Electricity Act 2023, which assigns the responsibility for determining the root causes of grid disturbances, shortfalls and interruptions to NISO. She added that NISO had not attributed the outages in Ikeja Electric’s notice to TCN.

According to her, NISO had linked the current decline in electricity generation to gas supply constraints affecting thermal power stations and reduced output from hydroelectric plants because of lower reservoir inflows.

The decline in generation has reduced the electricity available for distribution companies, leading to shorter supply hours and increased load shedding across their networks. Mba said the impact varied among distribution companies depending on available generation and their respective allocations.

THE ISSUES

TCN said its records showed that most interruptions affecting feeders supplying Ikeja Electric on November 1 and 2 were linked to low generation, rather than faults on the transmission network.

According to Mba, 68 per cent of the recorded interruptions resulted from frequency-control load shedding caused by insufficient generation. Another 26 per cent were attributed to Ikeja Electric’s non-compliance with load allocations issued by NISO’s National Control Centre or faults and maintenance work on the distribution company’s network.

The remaining six per cent involved planned TCN maintenance, switching operations or line limitations. Mba said none of the recorded interruptions resulted from a TCN equipment fault or trip.

TCN also disputed Ikeja Electric’s account of interruptions on the 33kV feeders listed in its notice. Of 46 recorded interruptions, the company said 29 were caused by frequency-control load shedding arising from low generation, while 14 were recorded against Ikeja Electric.

The 14 interruptions comprised nine cases of non-compliance with load allocation and five faults or trips on the distribution company’s network. The remaining three were linked to scheduled TCN maintenance on the Ogba-Alimosho line on November 1.

Mba also cited a cable fault on Ikeja Electric’s Rack Centre feeder on November 2, which she said the distribution company’s crew repaired. She added that Ikeja Electric’s own notice assigned several feeders, including MTN, Iju Water Works and Rack Centre, to the company for 33kV faults.

TCN maintained that it could only transmit electricity generated and made available to it, arguing that reduced generation should not be presented as a failure of the transmission network.

WHAT’S BEING SAID

“TCN can only transmit the energy made available to it and cannot transmit energy that is not generated.” – Ndidi Mba, General Manager, Corporate Communication Unit, TCN.

“DisCos should communicate based on verified information from NISO, the body responsible for the operation of the grid.” – Ndidi Mba, General Manager, Corporate Communication Unit, TCN.

WHAT’S NEXT

TCN has urged Ikeja Electric and other distribution companies to stop making claims about the causes of electricity supply interruptions without verified information from NISO.

The company said attributing generation-related shortages to transmission failures could mislead customers, weaken public confidence and distract attention from the wider challenges affecting electricity supply.

It advised electricity consumers to consult NISO’s official platforms for information on the state of the national electricity grid.

TCN also expressed sympathy for customers facing reduced supply hours, saying it remained committed to transmitting all available electricity safely and efficiently while working with NISO, generation companies and distribution companies to improve the situation.

BOTTOM LINE

The dispute between TCN and Ikeja Electric highlights the distinction between electricity generation, transmission and distribution. While TCN says the latest supply cuts were largely caused by inadequate generation and some distribution network issues, the immediate challenge for consumers remains the reduced number of hours of electricity available to their homes and businesses.