Grid Collapse: Stakeholders Canvass Adequate Funding, Replacement Of Obsolete Transmission Infrastructure

Stakeholders at the public hearing on grid collapses have canvassed for adequate funding for replacement of obsolete transmission infrastructure  in the country.

They further suggested a transition to smart grid just as they called for attitudinal change of stakeholders to facilitate a seamless transmission from power generation to the end users.

These formed the high points of the first day of a two-day public hearing on national grid collapses organised  by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) meant to examine the problems and proffer sustainable solutions to achieve stable and uninterrupted power transmission nationwide. The event commenced Thursday.

NERC Chairman, Sanusi Garba, set the stage in an opening remarks, saying that NERC considers what has been happening as significant public interest and provided a platform to discuss ways to tackle them.

He noted that there had been multiple system disturbances which have caused widespread outages in parts of the country.

“Today we are here and the Commission intends to take a deep dive to find a solution to this. The reality is that what is happening to the national grid is affecting the generation companies and the distribution companies and also impact the quality of supply to manufacturers and residential customers”, he said in a statement posted on NERC X handle.

On her part, the presentative of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Executive Director, System Operation, Engr. Nafisat Ali, in a presentation explained that the two recent incidences which caused wide outage was due to equipment failure.

Ali who is also the head of the forensic investigative committee on grid collapses in Nigeria which was set up by the Minister of power, Adebayo Adelabu, said “Challenges in the value chain must be wholistically addressed to resolve the disturbances while cooperation of all stakeholders is a must for a largely manually operated grid”.

Stakeholders present include  representatives of the generation companies, distribution companies and intervenors from the private sector.

In their respective presentations and remarks, they were unanimous on the need to make concerted efforts to address obsolete equipment and  transition to a smart grid.