The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has indicated that the agreement offers a way to earn additional foreign currency for national development, despite Nigerians’ ongoing concerns over the continued exportation of energy to neighboring nations in the face of a national supply crisis.
According to Sule Abdulaziz, the managing director of TCN, who made this announcement at the Nigerian Power Consumers Forum, “Nigeria had been exporting energy to Niger, Benin, and Togo under a country-to-country arrangement through TCN.”
Malam Yusuf Bako, the head of the Nigerian Power Consumers Forum’s advocacy team, referenced Abdulaziz in a statement that was released following the event.
The regional market, according to Abdulaziz, who is also the Chairman of the Executive Board of the West African Power Pool (WAPP), will make it possible for generation firms (GenCos) to export power to other West African nations that will be served by the TCN transmission network.
According to him, the Federal Government could generate more foreign currency for national development by exporting power.
Abdulaziz claimed that TCN has implemented a cutting-edge plan known as the Internet of Things (IoT) and Virtual Private Network (VPN) as a stop-gap measure to upgrade the national grid.
In the interim before a long-term network automation system is deployed, the technology, in his opinion, would enhance the real-time operations of the national grid.
He stated: “We have come a long way with the acquisition of new Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)/Energy Management System (EMS) schemes, but we felt as a responsible company waiting for the new SCADA, we can deploy a stop-gap technology which we have studied in other countries to be very effective in enhancing real-time electricity grid monitoring.”
The TCN CEO claimed that the company has been able to decrease instances of system failure thanks to greater cooperation with other participants in the electrical value chain.
The construction of two new National Control Centers by TCN in Abuja and Osogbo was further revealed by Abdulaziz.
Control centers, according to him, will strengthen the reliability of the Nigerian energy grid even more.
According to him, the National Control Centre and other technical solutions will increase the stability of the national grid.
This preparedness comes as Nigerian power companies are getting ready to participate in energy export once the Regional Electricity Market (REM) of the West African Power Pool (WAPP) is launched, the official said.
Only such crucial power transmission system investments, supported by a commensurate strength at the DisCos’ end, according to Micheal Okoh, convener of the Nigerian Power Consumers Forum (NPCF), can provide relief to power consumers.
Okoh asserted that it was better for Nigeria to act now rather than later because a stop-gap solution already existed in some nations, such as the Benin Republic.
“This has been long overdue, because if the grid or system operator does not have comprehensive operational data of the entire power grid, it is difficult to manage the fast-growing system,” he said.
