Frequent power system collapses in the country need a multifaceted approach, says Prof. Barth Nnaji, former Minister of Power.
He said this in an interview on Sunday, January 12, 2025, in Lagos.
Nnaji highlighted the need for sufficient spinning reserves and the full implementation of the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to stabilise the national grid.
Nnaji explained that implementing SCADA would significantly enhance fault detection and line patrols, which are critical in maintaining grid stability.
SCADA, a system that monitors and controls industrial processes, uses a combination of software and hardware to collect, analyse, and display real-time data, and can be operated remotely or on-site.
Nnaji identified several key factors contributing to the recurrent power system failures to include tower vandalism, overgrown vegetation along Right of Way paths and issues such as load imbalance and overload.
He also highlighted the importance of network restructuring and the adoption of an embedded generation model, which would reduce dependence on the grid by distribution companies (DisCos).
“The government should encourage DisCos to explore this option through policies and incentives, including ensuring the availability of gas to commercial and population centers across the country,” he said.
As Chairman of Geometric Power Group, Nnaji outlined several critical measures for improving power transmission, including the regionalisation of the grid.
Nnaji said identified the construction of a supergrid on top of the existing 330KV infrastructure, and the continued expansion of SCADA systems to automatically detect network failures and isolate affected areas.
He also called for the reinstatement of the guarantee instrument created in 2011/2012 to support the private sector’s development of new power plants and the expansion of existing ones.
“Government should insist that DisCos honour the terms agreed upon during privatisation, but it should also incentivise them to perform,” Nnaji advised.
He urged the government to ensure adequate gas production at reasonable costs to support power plants, while re-examining the regulated pricing system to ensure its effective implementation by both producers and regulatory bodies.
Nnaji cautioned against the introduction of new fees by government agencies, which could escalate costs under the guise of regulatory purposes.
“The government must focus on the gas transportation network and the contracting regime to ensure fairness and consistency, preventing any dilution of policies aimed at ensuring the availability of gas to power producers,” he said.
On the challenges faced by DisCos, Nnaji attributed their struggles to a lack of investment, which is compounded by poor creditworthiness.
He noted that the sector is severely underfunded and in need of substantial investment to improve operations.
He further emphasised that prepaid metering could help address the problem of estimated billing and metering gaps.
However, he noted that the Presidential Metering Initiative, though helpful, had been slow in its implementation.
“DisCos must invest in new substations to ensure proper load balancing, as it has been done by Aba Power.
“They must also invest in advanced technologies like Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) to combat energy theft,” Nnaji advised.
According to him, while metering is important, it is not a cure-all for energy theft, as meter tampering by customers remains a persistent issue.
By Yunus Yusuf
