In response to the increase in Nigeria’s demographic figures over the decades which is put at about 160 Million and the lack of commensurate increase in energy supply to meet the country’s growing economic and infrastructural development objective, the Federal Government of Nigeria realized that there was the need to break up defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) into small, effective units, as adequate and efficient electric power is a major factor in modern industrial development.
The unbundling of NEPA started when President Olusegun Obasanjo signed into law the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (EPSR Act) which led to the formation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) with a transitory framework in March, 2005. By this act, NEPA was unbundled into 18 companies: Six Generation Companies, One Transmission Company and Eleven Distribution Companies. All were issued Operations Licenses.
On its part, TCN was on July 1st, 2006 issued a Transmission License with the responsibilities of wheeling power at high Voltage, operate the National Grid and Market Operation Service
TCN is spread across the country with 10 transmission regions in Lagos, Osogbo, Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi, Shiroro, Enugu, PortHarcourt, Benin, and Abuja; a National Control Center at Osogbo; 3 Supplementary National Control Centres at Shiroro, Benin and Lagos, and 10 Regional Control Centers. The company has a staff strength of 3, 875 as at August 2021.
Since its inception, TCN has had the following as Chief Executive Officers:
- Engr. Godwin O. Osakue - 2005
- Engr. Hussein S. Labo - 2008
- Engr. Isa Musa - 2009
- Engr. Akinwunmi Bada- 2010
- Engr. Hussein S. Labo - 2010
- Engr. Akinwunmi Bada - 2011
- Engr. Olusola O. Akinniranye from April - 2012
- Engr. Don Priestman- 2012
- Mr. Mack Kast 2013 - 2015
- Mr. Paul Stefinsin - 2015
- Dipank Sarma (Acting) - 2015
- Mr. Mark Kast - 2015 - 2016
- Engr. (Dr) AbubakarAtiku 2016 – 2017
- Mr. Usman Gur Mohammed 2017 - 2020
- Engr. Sule Abdulaziz -2020 to Date
- The Company's major activities include
- Operate, expand/upgrade transmission facilities for efficient and effective wheelingof generated electricity
- Build Transmission Grid that can efficiently evacuate all generated power
- Create adequate network redundancies to ensure at least 99.9% reliability
- Reduce transmission losses to less than 5%
- Pursue Inter-connection with neighboring Countries for power exchange with associated cost savings from the sharing of reserve capacity and energy resources
- Improve TCN's revenue base to ensure a self-sufficient and self-sustaining company
- Ensure that safety and environmental issues are managed to meet international standards
- Standardization of procurement procedure to reflect International standard
- Provide an effective Project Management System
- Provide standard human capacity development of TCN staff for high level performance
a. Provision of Transmission Services
b. System Operation Services
c. Market Operation Services
1. It admits users who satisfy the requirements for admission in accordance with the Market Rules
2. It evaluates and accepts Grid connections
3. It ensures metering at all Connection Points
4. It obtains necessary information from users of the Transmission Network to enable it perform adequate planning operations and development of the Transmission Network.
1. Dispatches Generated Units in accordance with The Grid Code at least cost, on the basis of Nomination by Generators.
2. Handles Power System emergencies and Power System restorations
3. Performs Demand Forecasts, incorporating DISCO’s load nomination
4. Procures Ancillary Services and recovers the cost for procuring the Services
5. Coordinates Generation and Transmission Outages
6. Supervises compliance with, and enforces the Grid Code and Market Rules
7. Tests and Monitors Users' equipment to ensure their compliance with the Grid Code
8. Reports scheduled and planned actions and unexpected occurrences such as faults to Network Users and Regulator
9. Specifies the procedures for conducting system tests pertaining to the Network.
The Market Operations under TCN, is an off-shoot of the Electric Power Reform Act of 2005. Its services are strategic in the execution of Market Rules as defined by NERC.
The Market Operator is responsible for the Administration of the Market and the implementation of the Market Rules:
a. Shall guarantee efficient, transparent and non-discriminatory Market Administration services to all participants
b. Shall facilitate the development of sustainable competitive Market
c. Adapt to Market or Regional Trading Agreements
a. Shall implement the Market Rules, draft and implement all requisite Market Procedures
b. Review the efficiency and adequacy of Market Rules and Market Procedures
c. and propose such amendments as may be required to ensure their efficacy and adequacy
a. Organise and Maintain a Participants' Register
b. Centralise the information required for Market administration, andorganise and maintains the related date bases
c. Calculate and recover Ancillary Services and Must Run Generation costs when necessary
d. Centralise and Process Commercial Metering Data
e. Administer the Market Settlement Process and Market Payment System
f. Calculate and Settle Payments in Respect of Ancillary Services and other costs of Operating the System and Administering the Market
g. Calculate and Settlement payments in respect of Transmission charges etc.
TCN supplies power to neighboring Countries in West Africa, namely: Niger Republic, Benin Republic, Togo and Burkina Faso.
TRANSMISSION COMPANY OF NIGERIA