Newscenter Media News In a bold move to tackle Nigeria’s persistent power transmission issues, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is considering a plan that would require power distribution companies (Discos) to shoulder the costs of repairing faulty transformers and other critical infrastructure.
This strategy aims to enhance accountability and encourage more careful management of electricity resources.
The discussion arose on Thursday during a public hearing on the frequent collapses of the national grid, where NERC Chairman Sanusi Garba and Joy Ogaji, CEO of the Association of Power Generation Companies, emphasized the dire state of the country’s power supply.
Since 2013, Nigeria has experienced 162 documented instances of grid failure, a statistic that underscores the urgency for reform.
Garba highlighted the negative impact of these collapses not only on customer service but also on the financial stability of both generation and distribution companies.
“The reality is that what is truly happening with the national grid is impacting on the viability of not only the Gencos that generate the energy and capacity but also the distribution companies. But most importantly, it’s also impacting the quality of supplies and customers,” he stated.
He pointed to the alarming frequency of equipment failures that can plunge the entire nation into darkness. “Just one piece of equipment had an issue and the whole country is in a blackout. We do not spend millions of dollars buying equipment only for you not to have sufficient protection for such equipment to catch fire,” he added, referencing recent incidents where major transformers caught fire.
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Garba expressed frustration over the lack of progress, particularly regarding the Disco’s failure to identify vulnerable feeders susceptible to weather-related issues. “This thing that happened last year, last two years, last three years, the last four years happened this year. It is as if we don’t want to move forward intentionally,” he said.
Ogaji echoed the need for immediate action and transparency in the sector. “The topic for this course, this morning, is not new at all. From the association data taken from 2013 to date, the grid has collapsed 162 times,” she noted, emphasizing the disconnect between private sector data and official reports.
Moreover, she highlighted that the situation is worsened by the Transmission Company of Nigeria’s challenges, including recent vandalism of critical transmission lines. “The vandalisation of the Ugwuaji-Apir 330-kilovolt double circuit transmission line has caused over four days of blackout in some states in the north,” the company confirmed.
As the NERC deliberates on its proposals, the future of Nigeria’s power supply hangs in the balance, with the hope that accountability and improved management can bring about much-needed stability.
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