The Japanese Government is specifically targeting Lagos for such investment.
TCN’s Acting Managing Director/Chief Executive, Usman Gur Mohammed, told The Nation in Lagos that the firm wants to double the transmission capacity and would be doing that from one part of the country to the other.
Muhammed said the TCN would put significant transmission capacity between Lagos and Ogun states and was collaborating with these states governments to actualise that.
According to him, the transmission firm wants to double the transmission capacity or put additional 50 per cent of the existing capacity.
He noted that the Japanese Government was looking at building new and rehabilitating dysfunctional substations in Lagos.
The TCN chief said: “The TCN is doing a lot in recent times, especially under this government because of the kind of support that we are getting. Recently, we did advert on transmission capacity in Lagos.
“In every substation in Lagos, we are putting almost half of the capacity that is there. We are doubling the capacity.
“We are working in collaboration with some other multilateral donors, such as the Japanese government to build some of the substations. For example, Apapa has been taken over by the Japanese government. They are looking at Ojo and Isolo. Those two places will be rehabilitated by the Japanese Government.
“Generally, Lagos State is very important to TCN and it is working hard to ensure it puts enough transmission capacity there to be able to meet the needs of the electricity distribution companies in Lagos.”
On the claims that transmission is the weakest link in the power supply value chain, Mohammed said this was not true as transmission is ahead of generation and distribution links of the chain.
He said: “Whoever says TCN is the weakest link in the power supply value chain is ignorant of the sector. Transmission is not the weakest link in the chain. Our capacity is higher than all the other arms of the industry. We also have plans to expand the capacity of the transmission more than any other arm of the sector. So, we are always ahead of them and will continue to be ahead of them.”
The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, confirmed what Mohammed said. Fashola said the TCN has capacity to wheel over 6,000 megawatts (Mw) of power.
“Today, we have more power available to go on the grid over 6000Mw because generation and transmission have improved. The capacities are above what the distribution companies (DisCos) can carry. So, they have to play catch up,” the Minister added.
