The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says it has acquired the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software, which would enable it to investigate the frequent grid collapse and energy rejection by distribution companies (DisCos).
Chairman, governing board of TCN, Ekere Nsima, said this in a meeting with managers of substations in Lagos.
The SCADA system is a software used to monitor and control an electrical grid system based on information collected from substations within the system.
The TCN also said that the blame for the grid collapse also rests with the generation companies (GenCos) and the distribution companies (DisCos).
Ekere noted that the deployment of the software was necessitated by frequent grid collapses, which prompted the board’s intervention.
He, however, exonerated the TCN as being responsible for the frequent collapses, saying “We understand that the issue of grid collapse and liability is a complex issue. I can tell you the fault is not from the TCN. We have seen what the issues are; a lot from generation companies (GenCos) and DisCos.”
He noted that as energy is transmitted to them, not all power will be used and this affects the frequency, which ultimately impacts the grid negatively.
“When the DisCos were given to the private sector if you recollect, there were some investments they were supposed to make within a certain period to enhance their operation, but unfortunately they didn’t.
“Also right now, because they didn’t make the investments they are not able to distribute the power they get today from generation and transmission.
“The SCADA will help to ascertain how much is being generated and transmitted. They will stop blaming us and Nigerians will see it themselves,” he added.
Nsima stated that the TCN is in the process of installing a SCADA system and knows that once this is in place and deployed, it will help to get substance with grid collapse and liability.
The TCN chief said it would make sure that the generating companies are generating enough and also make sure that the DisCos have the capacity to distribute.