The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is planning to raise the transmission wheeling capacity of the power grid to 10,000 megawatts (MW) as it moves to achieve its target by re-conducting seven critical lines nationwide this year.It also revealed that it has recovered 775 stranded containers from 800 units abandoned for over ten years at the seaports, adding that the contents had been used to complete several sub-stations, including the brand new Damaturu, Maiduguri and Ilashe substations.Usman Gur Mohammed, TCN managing director/CEO, made the disclosures in Abuja at a quarterly press conference, where he stated that by December 2018, TCN achieved an 8,100mw wheeling capacity and hopes to step it up this year.

He stressed that as part of efforts to attain the 10,000mw, TCN would procure quad conductor, a high capacity conductor, which could carry more bulk power capacity on the same transmission line.

The conductors which we procured are lighter than the current conductors and can carry two and half times more power. Half of these conductors are arriving Nigeria on July 27.

“These seven critical lines include Onitsha-Awka-Oji River lines; the Ikeja West-Alimosho-Ogba-Ota line; and the Alimosho-Alausa line. Others are Kaduna-Zaria-Funtua-Gusau line; Birnin Kebbi-Sokoto; Aba-Itu; and Kumbotso-DanAgundi 132kV transmission line.

“By doing that, we are going to recover between 2,000 and 3,000mw, which means the grid would shift from 8,100mw to at least 10,000mw.”

He also gave updates on some critical transmission projects, which TCN is executing with the $1.661 billion multilateral donor funding it has secured.

While responding to questions, Mohammed noted that there was the need for the distribution companies (Discos) to step up investments in their networks.

He said: “We had a problem (investment in network) in Benin and Apo, these are some difficulties we have passed through, but the journey for stable grid is on track. Everything we are doing on the grid will amount to nothing except we have some investment on the side of distribution.”