TCN boss tasks W/African power pool members on increased electricity
…Says TCN committed to progress of electricity supply
Mr Ahmed Abdulaziz, acting Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), has charged members of the West African Power Pool (WAPP) to commit to increasing access to electricity in the West African region.
In a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, TCN’s General Manager Public Affairs, Mrs Ndidi Mbah, quoted Abdulaziz, who is also the Chairman, Executive Board of WAPP, as giving the charge at the Pool’s 49th Executive Board meeting recently held in Cotonou, Benin Republic.
Welcoming members of the Board to the meeting, Abdulaziz stressed the need for member utilities to pay their dues promptly, to enable WAPP continue to discharge its obligations to member states.
He commended member utilities that had paid their dues for the year 2021, despite the effects of COVID-19, and equally encouraged others who were yet to pay, to do so.
The TCN MD said that it was common knowledge the world economy had been negatively impacted by the COVID 19 pandemic, with attendant financial difficulties for all businesses.
He, however, noted that there was the need for WAPP to build resilience at this critical time, to enable the Pool achieve its goals.
Abdulaziz expressed satisfaction with the reports on the implementation status of WAPP priority projects, saying that it showed the projects were progressing, despite the COVID-19 pandemic and its disruptive effects.
He assured the meeting that related challenges, such as Right of Way (RoW) issues, were being addressed.
The MD commended the Secretary-General for the successful negotiation with WAPP Technical and Financial Partners on the financing of a significant number of WAPP priority projects.
Abdulaziz also expressed gratitude to the Government and people of Benin, and in particular, His Excellency, Mr. Patrice Talon, President of the Republic of Benin, for the warm welcome accorded the Board members in Cotonou.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Secretary-General of WAPP, Siengui Apollinaire KI, disclosed that within the first quarter of 2021, Niger Republic inaugurated NIGELEC’s 90MW PPP-built crude oil plant in Ghana.
KI also gave a brief update on the implementation status of other WAPP priority projects, including the Burkina Faso Regional Solar Park, which, he said, was at the pre-qualification stage.
“While the Mali Regional Solar Park; the Gambia Regional Solar Park; the Niger Regional Solar Park, and the WAPP Median Dorsal are all undergoing feasibility studies,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Acting Managing Director of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mr Ahmed Abdulaziz, has reiterated the company’s commitment to progress of electricity supply in the country.
Abdulaziz made this known in Abuja while receiving Participants of the Senior Executive Course, (SEC) 43, for the year 2021 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Kuru – Jos.
The Study Group 1 participants led by its Chairman, Rear Adm.E.O. Jaiyeola, were in TCN to understudy the company’s operational policies.
He said that TCN plays a vital role in providing leadership and a practical show of commitment to the progress of electricity supply in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
The MD said that in less than one year in office, the present Management of TCN vigorously pursued its grid maintenance, expansion, and rehabilitation programme.
He said that TCN was doing this knowing full well its role in the power sector.
“TCN has installed several transformers, rehabilitated several substations, reconductored power transmission lines with several projects ongoing,
“ TCN has also put in place a proactive maintenance programme to which it diligently adheres.
“I am glad to inform you that due to our commitment in TCN, transmission grid disturbances have been reduced to the barest minimum; grid capacity has also increased,” he said.
Abdulaziz said that within the first quarter of 2021, TCN efficiently wheeled successive all-time peak generation without a hitch, the latest being 5,801.60 megawatts (MW) to distribution load centers nationwide.
The TCN boss said that the company had continued to collaborate with the Generation Companies (GenCos) and the Distribution Companies (DisCos) toward ensuring that power is made more available to Nigerians.
Abdulaziz said the NIPSS serves as the think tank of the nation on national development
He urged the Institute to consider including officers of the company as participants in subsequent courses, considering the critical role TCN plays in electricity supply nationwide and as a public utility.
In his remarks, Jaiyeola, Chairman of the NIPSS Study Group, said the course was to prime the participants on developing strategic and specific policies for national development.
According to him, Nigeria is neither short of policies nor programmes for national development but the challenge has been in implementation and ensuring that things are done properly.
“For this Senior Executive Course, the task from Mr. President is for us to interrogate the challenges and issues surrounding getting things done as we x-ray various policies and programmes, and that is the reason why we are here, particularly focusing on the power sector,” he said.
The presentation of the report on inquiries from the visiting NIPSS course participants was followed by an interactive session.
The session had in attendance the management team and General Managers heading the various departments in TCN.
During the interactive session, the Market Operator at TCN, Mr. Edmund Eje, explained the process that led to the power sector privatisation and the role of TCN in the power sector.
