TCN Raises Lagos Power Capacity with Apapa, Ijora Substation Upgrades

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has completed major upgrades at the Apapa Road and Ijora 132/33kV transmission substations in Lagos, raising their capacity and strengthening electricity supply to key industrial and commercial areas of the state.

The projects, commissioned on Monday by the Minister of Power, Mr Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, are part of efforts by the Federal Government to modernise the transmission network and remove bottlenecks limiting reliable electricity supply.

At the Apapa Road substation, two 60MVA transformers were installed and energised alongside modern Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS), increasing the facility’s capacity threefold from 60MVA to 180MVA.

The TCN Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Engr Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, said the additional capacity would make more bulk electricity available to the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) for distribution to customers in Apapa Causeway, Ijora, Amukoko, Ajegunle, Apapa Wharf and Tin Can Island, among other areas.

Abdulaziz said the Apapa Road project was funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in partnership with TCN and executed by Takaoka Engineering Co. Ltd. under the Emergency Rehabilitation and Reinforcement of Lagos Transmission Substations project.

He said the grant agreement between the Federal Government and JICA was signed on November 23, 2018, while implementation began in 2019 after preparatory surveys and mobilisation by Yachiyo Engineering Co. Ltd.

The TCN boss commended the Federal Government, Ministry of Power, Lagos State Government, JICA, the Japanese government, contractors and TCN engineers for their roles in delivering the project.

He also called for similar grant support to rehabilitate other critical sections of the national transmission network, saying such interventions would help the company sustain and improve transmission operations across the country.

At the Ijora substation, Tegbe commissioned two new 100MVA, 132/33kV transformers and other upgraded facilities.

The minister said the intervention had raised the substation’s installed capacity from 90MVA, supplied by three 30MVA transformers, to 230MVA.

He said the upgrade added 112MW to the bulk transmission capacity available for electricity supply to Ijora, Costain, Oyingbo, Customs and neighbouring communities within the EKEDC franchise area.

Tegbe said the Ijora project was particularly important because of the area’s strategic position within one of Lagos’ major economic corridors, linking industries, ports, businesses and densely populated communities.

He said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was committed to developing a power system capable of delivering reliable electricity to areas where it was needed while addressing structural limitations across the electricity value chain.

The minister commended TCN, the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO), the World Bank, Shanghai Electric Group Company Limited and other technical partners involved in the project.

He also acknowledged the contributions of engineers, technicians, consultants, contractors and other professionals whose efforts made the upgrades possible.

Tegbe formally dedicated the Ijora project to Lagos residents, businesses and industries, saying stronger electricity infrastructure was essential to economic expansion and the implementation of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The two projects are expected to ease transmission constraints, improve the availability of bulk electricity to distribution companies and support economic activities across some of Lagos’ busiest commercial and industrial corridors.