The Nigerian Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (NIEEE) has blamed aging infrastructure and poor maintenance culture for frequent Nigeria national grid collapse.
It added that instability, facilities tripping system operator effectiveness was also affecting adequate monitoring, forecasting accuracy, and technical issues on equipment-devices, causing supply and mismatches, load shedding or generation ramp down across Nigeria.
The President of NIEEE, Mr. Felix Onu stated this during a webinar engagement with members of the Institute, with the theme: “Understanding the Nigerian Electricity National Grid, Its Architecture, Operations, Challenges and Possible Solutions”.
He said: “We are here not just to discuss an electrical engineering topic, but a government responsibility. Since our focus today is on the national grid in the power value chain, I therefore invite everyone to get set and pay attention.
“Lack of a formal and enforced operating reserve policy is hindering procurement operational costs, and loss of investor confidence, availability constraints, including congestion and power quality problems, impact system efficiency, influencing ISO’s operations.
“A stable electricity grid is the backbone of all modern economies as it ensures the uninterrupted and reliable supply of power to homes, industries, frequency, voltage, and power quality, which prevents blackouts, and national productivity is not undermined. Therefore, businesses, and essential services are not hindered.”
Olu noted that grid stability ensures that developmental projects are not abandoned, while achieving and maintaining a stable grid is at the heart of national development, industrialisation and economic growth.
He added that it also creates employment, enhances the delivery of healthcare and education services, and it prevents damage, and production losses.
Olu called on the federal government to ensure the aging infrastructure are replaced, or maintained, stressing that the existing equipment as grid stability are crucial in Nigeria due to the country’s growing population, escalating energy demands, and reliance on electricity for energy security.