Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) yesterday, described the entire management of TCN as incompetent, a situation that has caused more interruptions on its network than what the rains have done.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja, AEDC also accused TCN of being the weakest link in the electricity supply value chain.
Miffed by the call by the Managing Director of TCN, Mr Mohammed Gur to recapitalise the Distribution Companies (DisCos), AEDC decried TCN’s penchant for always wanting to engage the DisCos in blame-game.
“For AEDC that the TCN MD/CEO frontally attacked, the question is: which is more urgent – capitalisation of the DisCos or the expertise in TCN? Like every other question of this type, different respondents will have different views. Without equivocation, TCN interruptions of AEDC network is more than what the rains have done.
“But we are not really surprised at the recommendation of the TCN MD/CEO. At almost every point, the view is that money is a replacement for strategic thinking.
Aside from the above, we have seen a consistent attempt by TCN to engage in blame game and denigrate the DisCos especially AEDC by diverting attention from the main issues. One of the weakest links in the value chain today is the TCN and this is manifest in the poor protection of its equipment. TCN, in the same statement where it called for DisCo capitalisation admitted that voltage imbalance from DisCo will lead to the damage of their equipment. The question is: where is the protection of the TCN?
“TCN knows it is not immune from system disturbances, which inevitably affects the operations of the DisCos all over the country. But let us localise by looking at their performance in Abuja in the last 72hrs.
In one day alone, precisely on April 23, 2020, 4nos TCN interface points suffered similar challenges within our franchise area.
- 2x60MVA, 132/33kV Kubwa TS, was off supply from early morning to late evening hours, affecting power supply to Bwari, Dawaki, part of Gwarinpa, Kubwa and Dei-Dei
- Wire cut on 132kV Karu – Keffi line, affecting power supply to the entire Nasarawa State for several hours.
- 1x60MVA, 132/33kV transformer at Okene TS. This also lasted for several hours affecting power supply to Okene, Kabba, Ososo and environs.
- One of the 2x60MVA, 132/33kV transformers at Katampe 2 was also out for hours, affecting power supply to Wuse 2, Mabushi, Jahi and environs.
“It is very clear that TCN network is suffering from inadequate protection, as their relays do not trip during disturbances such as wire cut even when they rest on the ground thereby constituting serious danger to members of the public.
“On April 23, 2020, there was wire cut on feeder 5 from the Central Area TS but the feeder did not trip. There are a litany of such cases.
“What more can we say other than to plead with TCN to concentrate on its own challenges. For instance, TCN’s 132kV line 2 from Katampe TS to Central Area has been off supply since June, 2019. Despite several letters and verbal communication, this has not been resolved. As a result of this fault, AEDC is forced to embark on massive load-shedding of customers in the affected areas, which include Central Area, Maitama, Garki, Jabi and environs” the management said.
AEDC, however, regretted some interruptions in its network, blaming it on the rains.
