By Obas Esiedesa
Abuja-Forty-eight hours after the national power grid collapsed for the fourth time in 2024, the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, yesterday, disclosed that it has deployed a new technology, the Generation Dip/Loss Detection System, GLDS, as part of efforts to stabilise the grid.
TCN explained that the GLDS “plays a pivotal role in detecting and responding to sudden drops or dips in power generation across the network.”
The company, in a statement by its General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, said the new system, which was designed to empower the National Control Center, NCC, in Osogbo, provides grid controllers in NCC with advanced tools for real-time monitoring and analysis of grid performance.
Checks on the grid performance after its latest collapse, showed that average peak generation on Tuesday was 3,740 Megawatts.
Data from the Independent System Operator showed that as at 2pm yesterday, only 17 of the nation’s power plants were on the grid, generating a total of 3,578.12MW.
Egbin Power (598MW), Delta Power (441MW) and Azura IPP (396MW) were the top three generators.
Mbah said: “This new innovation stands as a testament to the Transmission Company of Nigeria’s (TCN) commitment to advancing grid management capabilities.”
“Its intuitive interface allows for the setting of parameters, continuous monitoring of power generating stations, and comprehensive reporting functionalities, enabling swift responses to grid disturbances.
“GLDS incorporates sophisticated data analytics and machine learning algorithms to analyze real-time data and identify patterns associated with sudden generation loss. By leveraging anomaly detection techniques, GLDS can promptly alert grid controllers on deviations from normal grid behaviour, facilitating proactive intervention to prevent widespread disruptions.
“Furthermore, TCN ensures seamless communication between GLDS and IoT cloud servers, enabling a more rapid response and coordination of mitigation strategies. This connectivity underscores TCN’s commitment to enhancing grid resilience and ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of electricity to consumers across Nigeria.
“Previously, TCN engineers had developed an in-house design that leverages on IoT technology as an innovative solution in response to the challenge of limited visibility of power generators. The IoT devices, which were strategically deployed across power stations and some substations, facilitate the collection of near real-time data, including power generation levels and grid performance metrics.”
