The Federal Government of Nigeria has taken a proactive step to tackle the persistent issues surrounding the country’s power grid collapse.
In an effort to address this challenge, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced the deployment of a cutting-edge technology specifically designed to detect and promptly respond to sudden drops or dips in power generation across the nation.
The TCN, on Wednesday, revealed that the newly implemented Generation Dip/Loss Detection System (GLDS) will significantly enhance the grid management capabilities of the company. This development comes amidst reports by The PUNCH stating that Nigeria experienced its sixth power grid collapse of 2024 on the previous day. The collapse resulted in a drastic reduction in electricity generation from 2,583.77 megawatts at 2 am on Monday to a mere 64.7MW around 3 am before the grid was eventually restored later in the day.
While the TCN attributed the cause of Monday’s grid collapse to a fire incident, it has consistently identified gas shortage for power generation and the vandalism of power infrastructure as the underlying factors contributing to recurrent grid collapses in Nigeria. With an average electricity generation of 4,000MW to serve an estimated 200 million citizens, the current situation is deemed unsustainable due to constraints such as gas supply, transmission infrastructure vandalism, and liquidity crisis.
In response to these challenges, the TCN released a statement from its spokesperson in Abuja, affirming the deployment of the Generation Dip/Loss Detection System as a crucial measure undertaken by the Federal Government to effectively manage the transmission network and the national grid. The GLDS, integrated within the National Control Centre in Osogbo, empowers grid controllers with advanced tools for real-time monitoring, analysis of grid performance, and swift responses to grid disturbances.
Through its sophisticated data analytics and machine learning algorithms, the GLDS can analyze real-time data and identify patterns associated with sudden generation loss. Utilizing anomaly detection techniques, the system promptly alerts grid controllers of any deviations from normal grid behavior, enabling proactive intervention to prevent widespread disruptions. Furthermore, the GLDS ensures seamless communication between its components and IoT cloud servers, facilitating rapid response and effective coordination of mitigation strategies.
The TCN emphasizes that these technological advancements underscore its commitment to enhancing grid resilience and ensuring uninterrupted electricity delivery to consumers across Nigeria. In addition to the GLDS, the TCN has leveraged IoT technology to expand visibility and improve monitoring capabilities. IoT devices, strategically deployed across power stations and substations, enable the collection of near real-time data on power generation levels and grid performance metrics. This increased visibility has expanded from six to 29 power stations, including Taopex Gs and Zungeru hydropower station, empowering the TCN to proactively identify and address potential issues.
The implementation of the GLDS and IoT devices represents a significant leap forward in bolstering grid stability and reliability. These initiatives not only provide TCN’s grid controllers with valuable insights to address challenges and minimize disruptions but also demonstrate the company’s commitment to meeting the evolving demands of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
