The Transmission Company of Nigeria has upgraded four transmission substations in Lagos as part of efforts to strengthen electricity supply across the state.

The facilities are the Apapa Road, Ijora, Lekki and Alausa transmission substations. While the Apapa Road substation was funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, others were funded by the World Bank.

The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, who unveiled the transmission substations on Monday and Tuesday, said the Federal Government was addressing longstanding constraints in the transmission network, which had limited the evacuation of available electricity generation.

“For many years, transmission infrastructure has been one of the major constraints in our efforts to provide reliable electricity. We have generated electricity that cannot be adequately evacuated. We have had available generation constrained by transmission limitations, even though growing demand would have required corresponding improvement in transmission capacity,” he said.

Tegbe said the Tinubu administration inherited infrastructure that in several locations suffered from years of inadequate maintenance and delayed investment.

“This is not a criticism of the men and women who have worked within the system under difficult circumstances in the past. Rather, it is an acknowledgement of structural problems that we inherited and that we are solving now very decisively,” the minister said.

The Apapa Road 132/33kV Transmission Substation received two new 60MVA power transformers, alongside the deployment of modern gas-insulated switchgear. The upgrade tripled the capacity of the substation from 60MVA to 180MVA.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of TCN, Sule Abdulaziz, said the expansion would increase the quantum of bulk power available for onwards delivery to the Eko Electricity Distribution Company, thereby ensuring more reliable and efficient electricity supply to Apapa Causeway, Ijora, Amukoko, Ajegunle, Apapa Wharf, Tin Can Island and other critical commercial zones within EKEDC’s franchise area.

For the Ijora Transmission Substation, two ageing 30MVA, 132/33kV transformers were replaced with two modern 100MVA, 132/33kV transformers.

The project increased the installed transformation capacity at Ijora from 90MVA to 230MVA, representing an additional 140MVA strategically deployed to support growing electricity demand within the EKEDC franchise area, Abdulaziz said.

“This upgrade delivers a more robust transmission substation capable of delivering increased bulk power to Eko Electricity Distribution Company’s load centres. It provides capacity to accommodate future load growth, reduce network constraints, enhance operational flexibility, and improve the reliability of supply to an area that is vital to the commercial and industrial life of Lagos State,” he said.

The World Bank-funded project was executed by Shanghai Electric Limited.

Similarly, the Lekki Transmission Substation received two new 60MVA, 132/33kV power transformers, doubling its capacity at the 132kV level.

According to the TCN boss, the addition of 120MVA transformer capacity increased output by 96MW, positioning the Lagos axis of the transmission network to wheel more bulk power to EKEDC for distribution to customers in Lekki and its environs.

“The newly installed 2x60MVA, 132/33kV power transformers we are commissioning today are more than just another piece of power equipment; they are the backbone for industrial growth and more comfort for the homes of over 134,000 residents who will now enjoy a more steady and reliable electricity supply through the Eko Electricity Distribution Company,” he said.

The Alausa Transmission Substation also received a major upgrade, with TCN installing a 1x100MVA, 132/33kV power transformer to replace the existing 1x30MVA transformer.

The installation increased the substation’s capacity by 70MVA, raising its total capacity from 135MVA to 205MVA.

Abdulaziz said the project, executed by Shanghai Electric Limited under a World Bank-funded initiative that commenced in January 2021, would deliver more stable and reliable power to at least 70,000 residents across Alausa and its environs through the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company.

“Beyond serving the immediate community, this upgrade meaningfully increases the quantum of bulk power that TCN can wheel to distribution load centres nationwide. It reinforces grid stability and ensures that more bulk power reaches the distribution companies’ load centres for onward delivery to electricity consumers within their franchise areas,” he said.

The TCN chief said the projects formed part of the company’s nationwide programme to expand transmission infrastructure and ensure that every incremental megawatt generated could be efficiently evacuated and delivered to distribution load centres.

“Transmission capacity must remain ahead of the generation curve. That is why TCN will continue to invest in new substations, transformer upgrades, transmission lines, and advanced grid technologies to ensure a stronger, more resilient, and more responsive national grid,” he said.

He also appealed for similar grant support to be extended to other critical sections of the transmission network to enable TCN to sustain and optimise transmission operations across the country.

Abdulaziz appealed to Nigerians to shun all acts of vandalism and protect critical power infrastructure.