The Nigerian Electrical energy Regulatory Fee has stated that energy distribution firms might start to bear the price of gear used to restore defective transformers and different transmission infrastructure replacements.
It stated if the measure is applied, it would guarantee Discos are extra prudent and cautious with the administration of electrical energy infrastructure.
This got here because the Chief Government Officer of the Affiliation of Energy Era Firms, Pleasure Ogaji, stated that Nigeria recorded 162 circumstances of grid collapse from 2013 so far.
The Chairman of NERC, Sanusi Garba, and Ogaji, spoke at a public listening to on incessant grid collapses organised by the facility sector regulator on Thursday to analyze causes for the a number of collapses of the nationwide grid.
The NERC chairman famous that the frequent nationwide grid collapse was not simply having an influence on the standard of provide to prospects however was additionally impacting on viability of energy era and distribution firms.
Garba stated the scenario may now not proceed, stressing that instant motion could be taken to stabilize the grid and make it extra dependable.
“The truth is that what is really taking place with the nationwide grid is impacting on the viability of not solely the Gencos that generate the vitality and capability but in addition the distribution firms. However most significantly, it’s additionally impacting the standard of provides and prospects.
“Only one piece of apparatus had a problem and the entire nation is in a blackout. What’s your understanding of why it caught hearth? We don’t spend hundreds of thousands of {dollars} shopping for gear just for you to not have adequate safety for such gear to catch hearth. We’ve got had latest situations of giant transformers catching hearth as whether it is only a bale of cotton, so what measures do we’ve got to ensure this doesn’t occur once more? You might have a prescription however no answer.
“We learn all over about manufacturing in Nigeria. I imply, should you can’t ship the appropriate high quality of provide to the actual sector, then we’re going to be engaged on a market that’s merely counting on residential prospects. And even residential prospects don’t think about the efficiency of the sector ok.”
He additionally pressured that Discos had been requested to state the feeders which might be most vulnerable to climate points, with a deadline, however nothing was carried out about it.
“This factor that occurred final 12 months, final two years, final three years, the final 4 years occurred this 12 months. It’s as if we don’t wish to transfer ahead deliberately,” he said.
On her half, Ogaji stated the fee must be proactive in addressing the issues inflicting the collapse.
“The subject for this course, this morning, just isn’t new in any respect. From the affiliation knowledge taken from 2013 so far, the grid has collapsed 162 instances,” she stated.
Ogaji additionally stated the info the non-public sector is capturing is completely different from what’s reported.
In line with the APGC CEO, there’s a want for transparency within the sector and correct capturing of information by the fee.
“Earlier than the grid code specified or the swap is as much as like 4. However we’ve got carried out an investigation and came upon that typically the cripple is properly over 4, even as much as ten, that’s consuming into any individual’s era that will have fetched them cash,” she added.
In the meantime, the Transmission Firm of Nigeria stated it has obtained a safety advisory from the Workplace of the Nationwide Safety Adviser to restrict its operations within the space affected by the vandalisation of the Shiroro-Mando Transmission.
The corporate said that the dearth of energy within the space won’t be resolve anytime quickly as a consequence of insecurity.be resolved
The PUNCH reviews that the vandalisation of the Ugwuaji-Apir 330-kilovolt (kV) double circuit transmission line has brought about over 4 days of blackout in some states within the north.
