The Association of Power Generating Companies (APGC) has disclosed that the country’s power grid suffered no less than 162 collapses in the last 11 years.
This was disclosed by the chief executive officer (CEO) of APGC, Joy Ogaji, at the public hearing on incessant grid collapses organised by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) on Thursday, in Abuja.
“From the association’s data taken from 2013 to date, the grid has collapsed 162 times,” she said.
Ogaji while speaking on the issue, reiterated the need for the commission to be proactive in addressing the problems causing the collapse.
According to her, the data captured by the private sector was different from what was being reported.
She emphasised the need for transparency in the sector and proper capturing of data by the commission.
“Before the grid code specified or the switch is up to like four. But we have done investigation and found out that sometimes the cripple is well over four, even up to ten, that is eating into somebody’s generation that would have fetched them money.
“So, while I am not saying that spinning reserve is a solution, I believe that putting a spinning reserve and the free governor mode side by side can cure the volatility on the grid, because research shows that about hundreds of steel mills operate on our grid, and we know what steel mills does to frequency,” Ogaji stated.
She further said the association did a study and found out that 95 percent of the time, from 2013 till date, the grid has not been in compliance with the grid code requirement of 50 hertz.
“It has always been out of frequency requirement of the grid,” Ogaji added
On their part, the electricity distribution companies (DisCos) described the frequent grid collapses as embarrassing, saying that it has dented their reputation.
Speaking for the DisCos, Umar Sanni Bello, representative of the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC), said the development had made some of its big customers, like manufacturers, threaten to leave the company.
“Right now, we have continued to manage these threats, but with these constant outrages, it is more difficult. We are likely to lose both big and regular customers to other spaces if this continues,” he stated.
Bello also urged the commission to provide holistic solutions, adding that the collapse of the national grid was costing DisCos money.
