A Model for Transmission Grid Decongestion

Nigeria as a nation has suffered from epileptic power supply which has affected negatively the economic activities of the citizen. For a sustained development, a constant power supply is needed. Available and reliable electric power supply promised as one of the major benefits of unbundling of nations’ own utility is yet to be realized, five years after privatization of the power sector. This paper presents an approach that consider the Nigeria power sector in three models: power sector before privatization, current power sector during privatization, the recommended model that consider the reduction of transmission grid congestion. This model supports helpful technologies such as micro-hydro in rural community, solar power and photovoltaic in regions endowed with sun shines, wind farm in coastal region and energy efficient appliances. These technologies when developed in these regions, is capable of reducing system load, site generation close to load centers, and thereby expand effective grid capacity to more rural community. A common indicator of an economically inadequate grid is congestion, which by definition implies the cheapest availably supply cannot be used; therefore a less-congested system can lead to lower electricity prices and less frequent power outages. This model offers significant benefits such as reduced transmission cost, lower congestion and generation costs, increased economic activities of the people and create a sustainable pollution free environment