Minister, TCN Inject 80MW Into Ikeja Grid as Alausa Transformer Capacity Rises 52% By Raymond Enoch
The Federal Government has commissioned a new 100MVA transformer at the Alausa Transmission Substation in Lagos, increasing the facility’s installed capacity by 52 per cent and unlocking an additional 80 megawatts (MW) of bulk electricity for consumers within the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) franchise area.
The project, commissioned by the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, in collaboration with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), replaces an existing 30MVA transformer and raises the substation’s total installed capacity from 135MVA to 205MVA.
The upgrade represents a 70MVA increase at one of Lagos State’s critical transmission nodes, serving a densely populated and economically strategic corridor that hosts businesses, industries, government institutions, markets, hospitals, schools and residential communities.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Tegbe described the intervention as more than an engineering project, stressing that improved transmission capacity was essential to strengthening electricity supply and supporting economic activities across the Ikeja axis.
According to him, the upgrade increases the substation’s equivalent power capacity from approximately 108MW to 164MW, while providing IKEDC with an additional 80MW of bulk electricity for onward distribution to consumers.
> “Identify the bottleneck. Invest in it. Remove the constraint. Unlock the capacity,” the Minister said.
Tegbe said the Federal Government was adopting a targeted approach to Nigeria’s electricity challenges by identifying transmission bottlenecks, expanding constrained substations and replacing ageing equipment across the national grid.
He noted that Alausa was particularly significant because of its location within one of Lagos’ major commercial and administrative corridors, where reliable electricity is critical to businesses, industries and households.
TCN Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Sule Abdulaziz, said the new transformer would improve the reliability of electricity supplied to Alausa and surrounding communities.
He disclosed that at least 70,000 residents were expected to benefit from improved power availability through IKEDC, while the additional transmission capacity would also enable TCN to wheel more bulk electricity to distribution load centres.
The project was executed by Shanghai Electric Group Company Limited under a World Bank-funded programme that commenced in January 2021.
Abdulaziz commended the World Bank, Lagos State Government, contractors, engineers and other stakeholders for their contributions to the completion of the project.
Tegbe also acknowledged the roles played by TCN, the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) and IKEDC, stressing that the additional bulk power must ultimately translate into improved electricity service for consumers.
Before the intervention, the Alausa substation had three transformers rated at 60MVA, 45MVA and 30MVA, giving it a combined installed capacity of 135MVA.
The replacement of the 30MVA unit with a 100MVA transformer has now raised the total installed capacity to 205MVA — an increase of approximately 51.9 per cent.
The Minister, however, cautioned that the Alausa project alone could not resolve Nigeria’s wider transmission challenges, noting that several substations and transmission corridors across the country still require rehabilitation, expansion and reinforcement.
He said priority would continue to be given to areas experiencing rapid growth in industrial and commercial electricity demand, as well as locations where transmission constraints are limiting the delivery of available power.
The newly commissioned 1x100MVA, 132/33kV transformer therefore represents a targeted intervention to remove a major transmission constraint and strengthen electricity delivery within one of Nigeria’s most economically important urban corridors.
