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Tag: Electricity

  • Why generation of electricity is difficult in Nigeria – GenCos

    Why generation of electricity is difficult in Nigeria – GenCos

    Dr Joy Ogaji, Executive Secretary, Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC) has opened up on why the generation of electricity is difficult in Nigeria.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Dr Ogaji spoke during a panel session at the Association of Energy Correspondents of Nigeria (NAEC) Strategic International Conference in Lagos State on Thursday.

    Ogaji at the conference disclosed that generation companies were being owed about N1.75 trillion for power generated for the electricity market since 2013.

    She said the liquidity challenge of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry had made operating in the generation value chain very difficult for the companies.

    Ogaji said GenCos were currently owing their gas suppliers about N1 trillion and also servicing loans used for acquisition of the companies in 2013.

    She said the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET) needs to intensify efforts to ensure remittances by the 11 electricity Distribution Companies for energy consumed by their customers.

    Ogaji said GenCos were ready to generate the power needed in Nigeria, but utilisation had been stagnated in the country for a long time due to transmission and distribution constraints.

    “Just to give you a context, on Nov.1, 2013 when the privatisation took place, power was 3,427MW on the day of takeover.

    “On Dec. 1, 2013, power had gone from 3,427MW to over 4,003MW and by 2020 it had gone up to nearly 8,000MW,” she said.

    Ogaji said, however, that the average uptake of power from the GenCos was about 4,000MWh from 2013 till date which was not good for business.

    “So, this does not encourage any investor to keep investing because clearly it shows that your product is not needed.

    “Notwithstanding how Nigerians are always saying give us power, but generation production is driven by demand.

    “When demand is not moving in line with the production, the producer is not incentivised to produce and this is a major problem,”she said.

    Ogaji also decried lack of access to foreign exchange by GenCos which had become a major  challenge to their operations in recent times.

    TNG reports that the topic of the session was: ”Power Sector Dilemma: Issues, Challenges, Opportunities and Strategic Key Solutions”.

  • TCN deploys new technology to improve national grid

    TCN deploys new technology to improve national grid

    The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has deployed a high technology scheme as a stop-gap solution called Internet of Thing (IoT) and Virtual Private Network (VPN) to improve the national grid.

    Malam Yusuf Bako, Lead, Advocacy Team, Nigerian Power Consumers Forum, in a statement on Thursday , in Abuja said that TCN made this known in a forum with the group.

    Bako said that the technology was for real time grid operations and management to National Control Centre (NCC) in Osogbo, Osun.

    According to him, the technology will improve real-time operations of the national grid, pending the deployment of a long-term network automation system.

    He quoted the Managing Director of TCN, Mr Sule Abdulaziz, as describing the feat as a quantum leap.

    Abdulaziz said that this was coming at a time when the Minister of Power, M Abubakar Aliyu, has tasked agencies on innovative ways to improve electricity supply to Nigerians.

    “Thanks to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Power that the Nigerian power sector is steadily receiving historic attention with a quantum of investments that would redefine the sector for the best.

    “We have gone far with the procurement of new Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)/Energy Management System (EMS)schemes but we felt as a responsible company that are waiting for the new SCADA, we can deploy a stop-gap technology.

    ”Which we have understudied in other countries to be very efficient in boosting real-time electricity grid monitoring,” he said.

    The TCN boss said that with the improved collaboration of other players in the electricity value chain, the company had been able to reduce cases of system collapse.

    He said that this was done through real time monitoring of operations at the various power transmission substations nationwide, and live interaction with operators at the power plants and Distribution Companies injection substations.

    Abdulaziz said that TCN was building two new National Control Centres in Abuja and Osogbo.

    He said that control centres would further improve the robustness of the Nigerian electricity grid.

    According to him, the National Control Centre and other technology systems will improve the stability of the national grid.

    ”The government is doing a lot to improve the power sector and that is why we always encourage Nigerians to support us by helping to guard critical national infrastructure.

    “We believe that as more of the investments and our transmission expansion projects materialise, Nigerians will experience more improved electricity supply.

    “This is the goal of TCN and I strongly believe that we are not resting on our oars to deliver on this mandate.

    “This preparation is coming at a time when Nigerian power operators are gearing up to take part in electricity export as soon as the Regional Electricity Market (REM) of the West African Power Pool (WAPP) is launched,” he said.

    Abdulaziz, who is also the Chairman, Executive Board of WAPP, said Nigeria, through TCN, had been exporting electricity to Niger, Benin and Togo under a country-to-country arrangement.

    He said that the regional market would further enable GenCos to export power to more West African countries which will be evacuated by TCN transmission infrastructure.

    He said that through this exportation of power, the Federal Government could earn more foreign exchange from that for national development comment on the TCN’s remapping of its investments in the power sector.

    The General Manager, NCC, Balarabe Abdullahi, said that with the stop gap solution, TCN can now access some stations and substations that were not captured in the last SCADA World Bank Project of 2004 on real time.

    “Today, with TCN’s stop-gap solution the grid operators can monitor a wider part of the grid. This is making grid operations and management a lot easier, ” he said.

    Mr Micheal Okoh, Convener of the Nigerian Power Consumers Forum (NPCF), said only such critical power transmission grid investments, backed by a matching strength at the DisCos’ end can bring succor to power consumers.

    Okoh said in analysing the feat, said the stop-gap solution has been existing in some countries like Benin Republic, and that it was better than late for Nigeria.

    “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.

    “The existing inadequate SCADA System cannot provide adequate grid visibility and we know that the SCADA system is not yet ready.

    ” I commend the management of TCN led by Abdulaziz for this innovative move. It shows that the current crop of TCN managers is actually thinking well to improve services,” he said.

    Okoh also called on the DisCos and other actors in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) to take similar actions that have collective impacts on the national grid.

    According to him, what consumers need is adequate power supply and they will pay the right tariff.

    ”We also call on the DisCos to match this technology, so that faults can easily be cleared and service delivery optimised,”.

  • FLASH: Electricity workers restore power supply nationwide

    FLASH: Electricity workers restore power supply nationwide

    Electricity workers under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) have restored power supply nationwide after they shut down the national grid and went on strike on Wednesday.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the electricity workers, in protest, shut down the national grid, throwing the nation into the darkness to press home their demands.

    The electricity workers embarked on the strike in protest against the directive by the board of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) that all Principal Managers in acting capacity going to Acting General Manager must appear for a promotion interview.

    The General Secretary of NUEE, Mr Joe Ajaero, had in a statement explained that the directive was in contravention of the workers’ conditions of service and career progression paths, and alleged that it was unilaterally done without the relevant stakeholders.

    Other issues raised include stigmatisation of staff from the office of the Head of Service of the Federation from working in other areas in the power sector, and non-payment of December 2019 entitlement of ex-PHCN staff.

    Following intervention by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, the electricity workers’ union agreed to call off the industrial strike action for two weeks and restore power supply across the country.

    The blackout which started at about 11:00 am on Wednesday lasted overnight till about 7:30 am on Thursday morning when the national grid came back on stream and power supply was restored.

  • We are set to restore the national grid – TCN’s GM, Public Affairs

    We are set to restore the national grid – TCN’s GM, Public Affairs

    After electricity workers in the country threw the nation into darkness on Wednesday, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has expressed readiness to restore the national grid.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the electricity workers under National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) embarked on the strike, but was quickly called off after intervention by the federal government.

    ALSO READ || BREAKING: Electricity workers suspend strike

    The General Manager, Public Affairs of TCN, Mrs Ndidi Mbah confirmed the shut down of the national grid in Abuja and said the company was set to restore the grid as quickly as possible.

    Mrs Mbah disclosed that several 330kV transmission lines and 33 Kilo Volt (kV) feeder-lines across the power system network were switched off by the electricity workers.

    ”This resulted in generation-load imbalance and multiple voltage escalations at critical stations and substations,” Mbah stated.

    She said that this was coming weeks after the company had come out of  hectic grid management regime, occasioned by paucity of generation that lingered for a couple of months.

    ”Coupled with the stream of interventions by the Ministry of Power and other stakeholders in the value chain, grid generation (at peak) had reached 4,830.69 Megawatts (MW) as at Tuesday,” she said.

    The spokesperson confirmed that the Ministries of Power and Labour & Employment held a meeting with the electricity workers in order to resolve the issues.

    Mbah said that enduring mechanisms are being instituted to avert a situation of this kind going forward.

    Earlier, the General Secretary of NUEE, Mr Joe Ajaero, had in a statement said the strike was in protest against the directive by the TCN board that all Principal Managers in acting capacity going to Acting General Manager must appear for a promotion interview.

    Ajaero said the directive was in contravention of the workers’ conditions of service and career progression paths, and alleged that it was unilaterally done without the relevant stakeholders.

    Other issues raised include stigmatisation of staff from the office of the Head of Service of the Federation from working in other areas in the power sector, and non-payment of December 2019 entitlement of ex-PHCN staff.

  • BREAKING: Electricity workers suspend strike

    BREAKING: Electricity workers suspend strike

    Electricity workers under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) have suspended their industrial strike action.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the electricity workers under NUEE embarked on the strike on Wednesday, shutting down the national grid to press home their demands.

    The federal government immediately summoned an emergency meeting with the electricity workers after they shut down the national grid, throwing the nation into darkness.

    It was gathered that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige succeeded in reaching a truce with the electricity workers for them to suspend the strike.

    TNG reports that the electricity workers embarked on the strike in protest against the directive by the board of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) that all Principal Managers in acting capacity going to Acting General Manager must appear for a promotion interview.

    The General Secretary of NUEE, Mr Joe Ajaero, had in a statement explained that the directive was in contravention of the workers’ conditions of service and career progression paths, and alleged that it was unilaterally done without the relevant stakeholders.

    Other issues raised include stigmatisation of staff from the office of the Head of Service of the Federation from working in other areas in the power sector, and non-payment of December 2019 entitlement of ex-PHCN staff.

    Following deliberations at the meeting that lasted for three hours with the Minister of Labour and Employment, the electricity workers union agreed to suspend the strike for two weeks.

    ALSO READ || We are set to restore the national grid – TCN’s GM, Public Affairs

    The workers expressed optimism that the government will listen to the voice of reasoning and prioritise their welfare and wellbeing.

  • Strike: Blackout in Lagos as South-East is thrown into darkness

    Strike: Blackout in Lagos as South-East is thrown into darkness

    Lagos State has been thrown into darkness effective Wednesday following the nationwide strike by electricity workers under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Ikeja Electric Plc and Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) confirmed the development in separate public notices to their customers.

    The DisCo said the picketing of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) by the union members had plunged customers under their networks into darkness.

    “Due to the ongoing nationwide picketing of Transmission Stations by the NUEE, we are currently experiencing disruption of power supply as most stations within our network have been shut down.

    “Kindly bear with us as we await amicable resolution by the relevant stakeholders. Thank you for your usual understanding and cooperation,” Ikeja Electric said.

    Similarly, EKEDC said the grounding of activities at the TCN-controlled power stations had led to the disruption of electricity supply to customers across the country.

    “In the meantime, we would like to reassure our esteemed customers that we are currently working with the relevant regulatory authorities and the parties involved to reach an amicable resolution. Thank you for your understanding”, the DisCo said.

    Electricity workers strike: Entire South-East thrown into darkness

    Earlier, the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) announced power supply disruption within the South-East due to the strike by electricity workers.

    This is contained in a statement made available by the Head, Corporate Communications of EEDC, Mr Emeka Ezeh, on Wednesday in Enugu.

    “Following the industrial strike embarked upon by the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) at the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), power stations operations across the franchise area of EEDC plc have been disrupted.

    “As a result of this, all our feeders are out of supply and this has affected supply to our esteemed customers in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states,” he said.

    According to him, consultations are ongoing among critical stakeholders in the power sector to address the issue and possibly restore supply.

    “The management of EEDC hereby encourages customers and neighbourhood associations to be vigilant and protect electrical installations within their environment against elements who might take advantage of this outage to vandalise installations,” he said.

    The EEDC spokesman also appealed for continued patience and understanding of the company’s esteemed customers “while this is resolved”.

    TNG reports that NUEE in a notice signed by its General Secretary, Mr Joe Ajaero, had directed its members to stop work effective Aug. 17. The union had earlier issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Chief Executive Officer of TCN on May 18, threatening to down tools if its complaints were not resolved.

    The electricity workers are protesting the non-payment of outstanding arrears owed to former workers of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). NUEE is also protesting the suspension of conditions of service and career paths for workers and the directive by the TCN board to conduct promotion interviews for acting principal managers who are moving to Assistant General Managers among others.

  • Blackout in Lagos as electricity workers begin strike

    Blackout in Lagos as electricity workers begin strike

    There was blackout across Lagos State on Wednesday following the nationwide strike by electricity workers under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE).

    Ikeja Electric Plc and Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) confirmed the development in separate public notices to their customers.

    The DisCos said the picketing of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) by the union members had plunged customers under their networks into darkness.

    “Due to the ongoing nationwide picketing of Transmission Stations by the NUEE, we are currently experiencing disruption of power supply as most stations within our network have been shut down.

    “Kindly bear with us as we await amicable resolution by the relevant stakeholders.

    “Thank you for your usual understanding and cooperation,” Ikeja Electric said.

    Similarly, EKEDC said the grounding of activities at the TCN controlled power stations had led to disruption of electricity supply to customers across the country.

    “In the meantime, we would like to reassure our esteemed customers that we are currently working with the relevant regulatory authorities and the parties involved to reach an amicable resolution.

    “Thank you for your understanding”, the DisCo said.

    NUEE in a notice signed by its General Secretary, Mr. Joe Ajaero, had directed its members to stop work effective Aug. 17.

    The union had earlier issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Chief Executive Officer of TCN on May 18, threatening to down tools if its complaints were not resolved.

    “You are hereby enjoined to mobilise immediately for serious picketing of TCN Headquarters and Stations nationwide over the directive by the TCN Board that all PMs in acting capacity going to AGM must appear for a promotion interview,” the letter said.

    “This directive is in contravention of our Conditions of Service and Career Progression Paths and was unilaterally done without the relevant Stakeholders”, the union said.

    The union also decried the failure of the authorities to pay the entitlement of former staff of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in December 2019.

  • BREAKING: Electricity workers shutdown national grid

    BREAKING: Electricity workers shutdown national grid

    After appeals to suspend their proposed strike failed, electricity workers in Nigeria, under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) have shut down the national grid and gone on strike.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the development has thrown the nation into darkness as the electricity workers shut down the national grid around 11.30 am on Wednesday, multiple sources at the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) have confirmed.

    Recall that NUEE had on August 15 directed its members to picket offices of TCN nationwide on August 16, after which, embark on strike on August 17 (today).

    The General Secretary, NUEE, Mr Joe Ajaero had, in a statement, said the picketing was to protest the directive by the TCN board that all Principal Managers in acting capacity going to Acting General Manager must appear for a promotion interview.

    Ajaero said the directive was in contravention of the workers’ conditions of service and career progression paths, and alleged that it was unilaterally done without the relevant stakeholders.

    Other issues raised include stigmatisation of staff from the office of the Head of Service of the Federation from working in other areas in the power sector, and non-payment of December 2019 entitlement of ex-PHCN staff.

    Earlier, the Managing Director of the TCN, Dr Sule Abdulaziz had, in a letter on Tuesday, following the threat by the workers to embark on the strike to drive home their demands, appealed to the electricity workers to suspend their proposed strike.

    Dr Abdulaziz disclosed that the management of TCN had suspended the said proposed interview for those on acting appointment of Assistant General Managers and General Managers while discussion with the board is concluded.

    “On the other two issues: circular from the office of Head of Service on stigmatisation of the defunct PHCN staff; payment of entitlement of ex-PHCN staff by market operator, the management has contacted the Honourable Minister of Power for his further action.

    “In view of this development, we appeal to your union to stay action; please accept the assurances of our highest regards,” Abdulaziz stated.

    Also, the Minister of State for Power, Mr Goddy Jedy-Agba, in a letter dated August 15, 2022 to the union, said that the ministry was committed to proffering solutions that would be acceptable to all parties concerned.

    “May we appeal to your great union to allow us two weeks from the date of this letter to address the issues and come up with proposals toward acceptable resolution of all issues,“ he said.

  • BREAKING: National blackout looms as electricity workers union orders strike

    BREAKING: National blackout looms as electricity workers union orders strike

    Electricity supply crisis might worsen from Wednesday, as Organized Labour has directed workers in the Power sector to down tools and commence an indefinite strike over pending labour issues with the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports this is coming barely one month after the national grid collapsed

    The National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, as a prelude to the strike, the aggrieved workers are scheduled to picket the Abuja national Headquatres of TCN Tuesday.

    In a circular by the General Secretary of NUEE, Joe Ajaero, titled “Call for Action”, to Senior Assistant General Secretaries and Zonal Organising Secretaries dated August 15, 2022, the Union directed them to ensure total compliance.

  • Senate passes Electricity Bill to boost power distribution

    Senate passes Electricity Bill to boost power distribution

    The Senate, on Wednesday, passed the Electricity Bill, 2022. The bill’s passage was sequel to the consideration of a report by the Committee on Power.

    Chairman of the Committee, Senator Gabriel Suswam (PDP, Benue North East), in his presentation, said the bill seeks to, amongst others, provide an Ideal legal and institutional framework to leverage on the modest gains of the privatisation phase of the electric power sector in Nigeria.

    He added that when signed into law, the bill would improve the utilisation of generated power through increased investments in new technologies to enhance transmission and distribution of generated power to minimise aggregate value chain losses.

    According to the lawmaker, the piece of legislation would “reinvigorate the Institutional framework for the reform of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) initiated and implemented by the Federal Government.”

    He disclosed that the provisions of the Bill seek to promote policies and regulatory measures that would ensure the expansion of power transmission networks in Nigeria in order to address any imbalance in the existing transmission infrastructure.

    Suswam noted that the bill would stimulate policy and regulatory measures to scale up efficient power generation, transmission and distribution capabilities of the sector; as well as address technological limitations and outdated infrastructure that are responsible for value chain losses.

    The Senate President, midway through consideration of the bill, sought to know the role and operational capacity of banks that had taken over distribution companies (discos) indebted to them.

    Responding, Senator Suswam explained that the take-over of entities (Discos) by banks was duly carried out in collaboration with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NER) and Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE).

    According to him, there was a transitional process put in place during the take-over of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) by the United Bank for Africa (UBA) to ensure efficiency in service delivery.

    He noted that such a transitional process usually involves the invitation of new investors to scale up generation and distribution capacities.

    He further disclosed that the Federal Government had disbursed $100 million (USD) to Siemens to kickstart transmission in the distribution end of the power sector.

    On his part, Senator Ahmad Babba-Kaita (PDP – Katsina North), said the faulty way in which Discos were created was largely responsible for their inability to live up to expectations.

    He, therefore, advised the federal government to ensure a transparent process in the selection of companies to take-over power generation and distribution across the country.

    The Deputy Chief Whip, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC – Niger North), noted that the aspect of renewable energy in the bill was given prominence amidst the energy mix.

    The Electricity Bill, 2022, after a clause-by-clause consideration of the Committee’s report by the Committee of the Whole, was passed by the upper chamber.

    The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, in his remarks after the passage of the bill, said, “because of its importance and sensitivity, we would like to see a quick concurrence by the House of Representatives, because time is of the essence as far as Nigeria is concerned when you talk about electricity and energy supplies in Nigeria.

    “So, we would like to see that this bill is fully processed in the National Assembly and sent to the Executive side of government for the consideration for assent by Mr. President.

    “We believe that this piece of legislation can change the fortunes of the electricity industry in Nigeria for the better.”