Venue: Regional Training Center, Akangba

Date: Wednesday 8th January, 2014

Topic: Introduction to Areas of Specialisation
in GENCO and DISCO

Trainer: Stephen O. Sowemimo

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Generation Companies in Nigeria are listed
below

a) Afam Power Plc;

b) Sapele Power Plc;

c) Ughelli Power Plc;

d) Geregu Power Plc;

e) Shiroro Hydro Power Plc;

f) *Kainji Hydro Power Plc.

*Note that Jebba power station is part of Kainji
Hydro Power Plc.
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The mandate of any GENCO is to
generate electricity at high voltage
of say between 11Kv. and 20Kv., and
frequency of 50 Hz, step the voltage
up to transmission voltage of 132 Kv.
or 330 Kv. and send unto the
national grid for transmission and
allocation to load centers

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However, the operation is not as simple as
that because it requires joint efforts of
the operation department and various
maintenance departments i.e. mechanical
maintenance, electrical maintenance,
Protection, Control & Metering (PC&M),
Lines Maintenance with active support of
Administration and Finance / Accounts
departments attending to staff welfare.

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Ensures reliable generation of electricity
and safe operation of all equipment
associated with system stability.

Handles starting up of generators and
synchronizing into the network.

Conducts physical inspection of all
equipment, monitors their behaviours and
has overview of all system parameters as
displayed in the control room.

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Isin constant touch with National Control
Centre to ensure effective operation and
system stability.

Keeps log book of normal operation for
record purpose.

Keeps log book of abnormal behaviours of
plant, equipment and control devices and
notifies the relevant maintenance section(s)
for corrective actions.

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Coordinates schedule and emergency
operational meetings.

In conjunction with relevant maintenance
departments, the operation department
does routine tests and changeovers of
certain equipment in order to relieve
them of service after working
continuously for one week. This also gives
room for easy maintenance of relieved
equipment.
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Whether it is Hydro Power Station or
Thermal Power Station, the core
activity is more of mechanical than
any other business. The mechanical
maintenance department carries out
the following functions to ensure
that plants and equipment work at
optimal condition.

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Weekly inspection of some mechanical
equipment to ascertain normal working
conditions, record any defect and effect
repair or replacement.

Repair or replace of any faulty plant /
equipment parts as may arise anytime.

Scheduled cleaning, greasing and oiling of
equipment.

Ensure adequate stock level of
maintenance parts.
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Electrical Maintenance Department is
responsible for maintenance of generator
alternators, exciter, power transformers,
station distribution transformer, electric
motors, breakers, isolators, battery
banks, station street and security lights
and power house and office electrical
installations.

The section also rewinds burnt electric
motors and relay coils.
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PC&M Department ensures

Protection devices for safety of personnel
and equipment are properly coordinated
and work optimally.

Relays, sensors and alarms are properly
calibrated for high efficiency
performance.

Earthing of all equipment is at acceptable
value.

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Aspart of the efforts of the Authority to
maintain uninterrupted power supply,
there are crews of well trained personnel
equipped to handle jobs on live 330kv and
132kv Transmission lines. The section is
responsible for seeing that transmission
lines, towers, tower foundations, tower
members and the right of ways are in
good conditions.

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The linesmen carry out routine patrol of
transmission lines at least once in three
months and more often during raining
season when fault rate is higher than in
any other period.

Towers are numbered one by one for easy
identification and reference. They are
also boldly numbered on top at interval of
ten for helicopter patrol.

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Things checked for amendment
during routine patrol are broken or
contaminated insulators, loose
nuts/bolts, loose tower members,
loose spacers, loose dampers,
jumper connections, exposed
counter poise wire, damaged earth
wire and depressed foundations.

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The hot linesmen also mend
minor damages to conductors on
330kv and 132kv lines, and
remove bird nests or other
foreign bodies from gantries,
and power equipment in
transformer stations.

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These two departments though
not in the core business of
working on the network, they
provide support services
enhancing staff welfare.

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The eleven existing Distribution Companies (DISCOs) are
listed below,

Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc;

Benin Electricity Distribution Plc;

Eko Electricity Distribution Plc;

Enugu Electricity Distribution Plc;

Ibadan Electricity Distribution Plc ;

Ikeja Electricity Distribution Plc;

Jos Electricity Distribution Plc;

Kaduna Electricity Distribution Plc;

Kano Electricity Distribution Plc;

Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Plc;

Yola Electricity Distribution
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The core business of a DISCO is to provide
safe and reliable, as uninterrupted as
possible, electricity to the customers and
collect revenue accruing. The departments
under a DISCO are Distribution, Marketing,
Finance / Account, Administration and Public
Relations. They all work hand-in-hand to
ensure improved service delivery to the
customers.

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The interface between TRANSCO (Transmission Company)
and DISCO (Distribution Company) is at 33Kv. DISCO
supplies electricity to various categories of customers at
33Kv, 11Kv, 415V and 230V. In most of the DISCOs, the
DISCO Headquarter, popularly known as Zonal Headquarter,
maintains 33kv network and 33/11Kv Injection Substations
while the Business Units under the DISCO maintain 11Kv
network, 33/0.415Kv and 11/0.415Kv distribution
substations.

Business Unit being closer to the customers than the DISCO
HQ, we shall use the set up there to analyze the areas of
specialty in a DISCO. The departments there are just
replicas of DISCO HQ set up.

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Distribution Department is concerned with
core engineering duties of network planning,
construction, operation and maintenance to
ensure stable and reliable electricity supply.
These statutory functions are carried out by
various sections viz;

Planning and Construction.

Operation and Maintenance

Protection, Control and Metering

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Planning and Construction section carries out
site / load survey of proposed construction be it
injection substation, new network extension,
relief distribution substation or upgrading of
overloaded substation. Cost estimate is prepared
for various levels of approval. Construction is
executed.

Protection, Control and Metering section carries
out pre-commissioning tests on HV and LV
equipment, cables, lines and associated
accessories to ascertain that they are safe to be
energized and operated.
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Following satisfactory results of PC&M tests, the
construction is handed over to Operation and
Maintenance section to manage. O&M section
strives to ensure safe and reliable power supply
to the customers. All fault reports, HV and LV are
referred to O&M section through Dispatch Room,
for rectification.

PC&M Section also tests to ascertain

location of fault on equipment and cables

repaired equipment / cables are in perfect
conditions to return to service

Protection relays in service are very reliable
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Marketing Department is responsible for
customer population growth, revenue
generation, protection and collection. The
department also takes care of customer service
issues. The key sections under Marketing
department are:

New Service

Meter Reading and Billing

Maximum Demand (MD) Metering

Computer Billing Center

Investigation

Customer Service
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Customer’s request for supply connection
and metering comes in through New Service
section by duly filling form PHCN 74 which
would be properly processed to metering
stage. The supply connection / metering is
documented on CRMD (Customer Records
Maintenance Document), duly approved and
forwarded to Computer Billing Center, if it is
credit meter, and to PPM Master Station if it
is Prepayment meter, for capturing in
customers data base.

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While prepayment meter customers visit the
PPM vending station for energy purchase, the
marketers/meter readers in Meter Reading
and Billing section have to read credit
meters monthly and forward the readings to
Computer Billing Center for bills production.
The bills are handed over to the marketers
for distribution to customers. It is the
marketers’ duty to follow up in form of cash
drive and ensure the customers settle their
electricity bills.

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Maximum Demand (MD) section – MD customers,
being fewer in number but of much higher
revenue base compared to Non-MD customers, a
separate section is created for them to enhance
concentrated attention in all issues relating to
them. The staffs there, MD Marketers, read the
Maximum Demand meters monthly and check the
metering circuits on every visit to ensure that
integrities of the MD meters are maintained in
top form. The readings are forwarded to
Computer Center for billing. Thereafter, the MD
Marketers collect and distribute the bills, and
follow up to ensure prompt payment.
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Investigation
section does the job of
revenue protection by doing random
checks on customer to detect possible
tampering with metering circuits.

Customer Service section attends to and

resolve customers’ complaints either
solely or in conjunction with other
section(s) as may be necessary.

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Finance and Accounts department of a Business Unit has
two sections, Revenue and Disbursement sections. While
Disbursement section pays out money such as staff salaries
and claims, and contractors’ invoices/bills, the Revenue
section collects PHCN customers’ bill payments.

The Revenue section also works on customers’ accounts

that require credit or debit adjustment and raises official
document called Customer Account Adjustment Document
(CAAD) for various levels of approval depending on the
amount involved. After internal Auditors’ certification and
final approval by the Business Manager or higher authority,
the CAAD is sent to Computer Center for required
adjustment to be effected.

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Administration Department is not directly
involved in the business of electricity
supply and revenue collection. However,
the section is very unique in handling all
issues concerning staff documentation
and welfare. The section can be seen as a
morale booster or catalyst to the staff for
effective performance.

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PublicRelations Department is an image
maker and a mouth piece of DISCO in
creating awareness and enlightening the
public on development within the
organization. PR department brings the
DISCO and its numerous customers closer
for better understanding of realities on
ground.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

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