TCN Deploys New Technology ToImprove National Grid Operation

ABUJA

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, last week, 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, MrSule Abdulaziz, as describing the feat as a quantum leap.

Abdulaziz said that this was coming at a time when the Minister of Power, Mr AbubakarAliyu, 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.

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.