Nigeria’s House of Reps stated that since Nigeria privatized electricity generation and transmission in 2013, the country has recorded over 100 grid collapses.
They also blamed TCN’s refusal to fast-track construction of digital control centers and relying on its current analog system, and urged the Committee on Power, to investigate the causes of the reoccurring national grid collapse.
This came after a motion sponsored by Rep. Sani Bala (APC-Kano) at plenary on Tuesday in Abuja.
What they said:
Rep Bala noted that the present natural grids have happened due to system disturbances along the transmission lines connecting a number of generating stations, citing that since the President Jonathan era privatization in 2013, Nigeria has had over 100 national grid collapse.
He also added that in 2022, the grid has collapsed 7 more times. This is more than it did in 2021.
Bala stated that rising grid failures mean there needs to be a better policy framework for the TCN to control the grid crashes, citing that it was not operational for all key power plants in the country, including Egbin, Utorogu, Chevron Oredo, Oben gas-fired power plants, Ughelli and Chevron Escravos power plants.
Bala added that the Transmission Company of Nigeria ( TCN) is responsible also for its lack of wheeling capacity, inadequate transmission lines, and spinning reserves, blaming the refusal to fast-track construction of digital control centers instead of the company’s current analog system.
He urged that if power generation was adequately wheeled and transmitted for distribution to consumers, there would be a 30 % reduction in the cost of generating power.
The House later urged its Committee on Power to investigate the TCN’s capacity to avert grid collapses.
What you should know
Nairametrics reported last month that two 132/33 KV mega transformers to be used for the execution of the Nigeria-Siemens power deal are now in the country for installations. The two transformers were scheduled to arrive in September 2022.
The Federal Government of Nigeria stated that the Siemens $2 billion power deal, under the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI), will save the nation over $1 billion annually.
