The Factors Militating Against The Effective Maintenance Of Electrical Generation, Transmission And Distribution

ABSTRACT

Electricity generation, transmission and distribution are three stages of delivering electricity to consumers.  The delivery of electricity to consumers in Nigeria has multidimensional problems. This paper focused on capacity of electricity generation in Nigeria and the major factors affecting electricity generation, transmission and distribution in the country.  The factors are none diversification of sources of energy used in electricity generation, poor maintenance culture, electrical power transmission line losses due to long distance between generating stations and load centers etc. Restructuring the Nigerian radial interconnected electricity generation station grid system which has National Control Centre at Oshogbo and replace it with a regional   interconnected grid system in order to reduce transmission line losses and improve reliability of the Nigerian grid system among others was recommended.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE

APPROVAL PAGE

DEDICATION

ACKNOWELDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER ONE

• INTRODUCTION
• BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
• OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
• SCOPE OF THE STUDY
• CAPACITY OF ELECTRICITY GENERATION STATIONS IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER TWO

2.0     LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1     ELECTRICITY GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION CONCEPT
2.2     ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION CONCEPT
2.3     OVERVIEW OF DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
2.4     HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF ELECTRICITY GENERATION IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER THREE

3.0      METHODOLOGY

3.1          MAJOR FACTORS AFFECTING ELECTRICITY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION IN NIGERIA

 CHAPTER FOUR

4.1      ECONOMICS OF POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION

4.2      FACTORS MILITATING AGAINST EFFECTIVE DISTRIBUTION

4.3      FRAUDULENT SHARP PRACTICES

4.4      TRENDS IN ELECTRICITY GENRATION, DEMAND AND CONSUMPTION

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1     CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.2     REFERENCES

CHAPTER ONE

1.0                                                        INTRODUCTION

Electrical power generation, transmission and distribution are the three stages of delivering electricity to consumers at residential, industry, commercial, and administrative areas. The supply of adequate and stable electricity to consumers is the back born of socioeconomic development of any nation. While inadequate and unstable supply of electricity to consumers in any nation would definitely lead that nation backward in terms its socio-economic growth. Like any other economic sector in Nigeria, the power sector has its peculiar problems. In fact the sector has multidimensional problems. This paper aims at discussing the major factors affecting electricity generation, transmission and distribution in Nigeria. For convenience the factors are group into two, namely factors affecting electricity generation and factors affecting electricity transmission and distribution. Some of these factors are insecurity, overloading of distribution transformers, non-diversification of sources of energy (fuels) used to drive the electricity generating stations, bribery, corruption and mismanagement of public funds in the execution and running of electricity power projects. The objective of this paper is to sensitize the Government, the governed and the organized private sector in order to solve the major problems affecting electricity delivery to Nigerian consumers.

1.1                                           BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Since the discovery of electricity in the days of the Italian scientist Volta in the 18 century Nelkon M (1991) man has been able to perform formidable feats with the aid of electric power. Madueme (2002) in Okonkwo (1995) reiterated how the provision of electricity produces a multiplier effect in empowering man in his daily activities.  He went further to state the immeasurable relevant of electric power in the agricultural sector as stressed according to him, in Taylor (1980), sabari (1989) and Agbaese (1998). In the industrial sector Madueme (2002) lauded the views of Enukorah (1996), Ukong et al (1987) as well as Bhagavan and Karekezi (1992) – that electric power has been successfully used to eliminate manually operated shafting and belting techniques that characterized older forms of technology as well as facilitate possible access to information technology. Despite these immeasurable importance of electric power to man, the provision of electric power for use in Nigeria has been a bizarre. Many a questions waiting for answers occupy the minds of most Nigerians: Is it the case that we can not afford a National electric power project? Or is it the case that we do not know the quantity of electric power that can serve the ever teaming Nigeria population? Or is it the case that wrong data are been used to make projections/estimate power required nation wide?

This paper appraises the method of projection used in the estimation of electric power required by the nation using data from the Central Bank of Nigeria Bulletin.  It considers the relevant of such data in making such projection in a developing country like Nigeria. Nigeria in the pre- colonial era cultivated the idea of having a national electricity project. This idea gave birth to the establishment of the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria (ECN) which in collaboration with the Niger Dam Authority (NDA) started operation in the year 1951 and was saddled with the responsibility of electrical power generation to serve the electrical power need of the nation. As at then, the population of the country was estimated at about 55 million people while the installed capacity was about  2,500MW. With innovation in science and technology, population increase as well as demand and use of electrical power become very prominent.  This warranted the need for the installation of more electrical power stations. The former stations operated by ECN such as Delta Power Station, Ughelli, Ijora Power Station, Lagos, Kainji Dam,  and Afam Power Station were complemented with the establishment of other power stations such as Shiroro Dam in Kaduna, and Egbin Power Station , Lagos. With these power stations and the need for a proper and effective control, ECN was converted to NEPA in 1^st April 1972.

The operation of NEPA was quit effective for a while. However, succeeding government and change in policies saw the emergence of officials whose ability to handle the power generation and distribution needs become very porous. According to the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Production          Publications and Documentation Department (2005),  electricity power reform, ‘the Obasanjo Reforms of the Electric power sector’ was engineered by “NEPA’s epileptic supply of power and poor quality”. Going further, the publication pointed out that “the rationale behind the reform therefore is to improve electricity supply and increase access to electricity. That currently, less than 50% of Nigerians have access to electricity”. The report also stated clearly that the available generating capacity (capacity utilization) is in the region of 50 percent of total installed capacity of about 6,000 these prompted the government to present the body before the Bureau for Commercialization of Public Enterprises for privatization.

                              1.2                                        OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The objective of this work therefore presents:

1. A brief history of the attempts and efforts to improve power supply to the nation.
2. It also briefly reviews the status of energy resources, energy demand and supply, power generation, transmission and distribution, power sector national policy,
3. And to list the major challenges and proposes some forward thinking ideas that may transform our power generation, transmission and distribution.

1.3                                            SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

In spite of the abundance of natural and human endowments capable of transforming the Nigerian power sector, the sector has witnessed a very insignificant amount of growth which has invariably affected its production capacity. The importance of this work is found out and thereby tackling those problems that affect our generation, transmission and distribution of power supply

1.4                                                   SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This work focused on the capacity of electricity generation in Nigeria and the major factors affecting electricity generation, transmission and distribution in the country.  The major factors affecting generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity in Nigeria are listed in this work. The work concludes with recommendations to restructure the Nigerian radial interconnected electricity generation station grid system, which has National Control Centre at Oshogbo, and replace it with a regional interconnected grid system in order to reduce transmission line losses and improve reliability of the Nigerian grid system.

1.5           CAPACITY OF ELECTRICITY GENERATION STATIONS IN NIGERIA

Nigeria uses three types of electricity generation stations namely Hydro-generating stations, Steam turbine generating stations and gas turbine generating stations. Table 1 shown below gives the locations and the ratings of electricity generating stations use in Nigeria.

Table 1: Electricity generating stations, ratings and their locations in Nigeria

CHAPTER TWO

2.0                                                    LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1               ELECTRICITY GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION CONCEPT

The purpose of the electric transmission system is the interconnection of the electric energy producing power plants or generating stations with the loads. A three-phase AC system is used for most transmission lines.

The operating frequency is 60 Hz in the U.S. and 50 Hz in Europe, Australia, and part of African.

The three-phase system has three phase conductors. The system voltage is defined as the RMS voltage between the conductors, also called line-to-line voltage. The voltage between the phase conductor and ground, called line-to-ground voltage, is equal to the line-to-line voltage divided by the square root of three.

The generating station produces the electric energy. The generator voltage is usually around 15 to 25 kV. This relatively low voltage is not appropriate for the transmission of energy over long distances. At the generating station a transformer is used to increase the voltage and reduce the current.

In Figure 1 the voltage is increased to 500 kV and an extra-high voltage (EHV) line transmits the generator-produced energy to a distant substation.

The voltage is reduced at the 500 kV/220 kV EHV substation to the high voltage level and high voltage lines transmit the energy to high voltage substations located within cities…