Power Distribution Companies under the aegis of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) have blamed the federal government for the unending challenges of power grid collapse in the country.
The DisCos’ Spokesperson, Barr. Sunday Oduntan, made this known on Wednesday while speaking on “The Morning Show”, a daily program on Arise Television.
Recall that the national grid experienced a partial disturbance, on Monday, 14th October, 2024 at about 6:48pm, and a temporary disturbance at about 8:15am, on Saturday, 19th Oct. 2024.
Following this development, the Federal Government has constituted a six-member Forensic Investigative Committee to review and advise it on the best way to address the perennial problems of power grid collapse in Nigeria.
The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu who constituted the committee at the weekend lamented that if not attended to, the incident, was capable of rubbishing the giant strides made in the last one year which has led to an increased generation and distribution of 5, 527 megawatts, a record generation in three years.
On its part, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has scheduled an investigative Public Hearing for tomorrow, Thursday, October 24, 2024 to probe and permanently address the root cause of national grid collapse in the country.
However, while speaking, Oduntan pointed at lack of Maintenance, investments, and failure by successive governments to do the right thing as responsible for the incessant national power grid collapse.
“It is true that the national grid has collapsed 105 times in the last ten years. The last grid collapse that happened few days ago was because of an explosion of a transformer in Jebba. And once the transformer exploded the load dropped and the system collapsed.
“The incessant collapse was because of lack of proper maintenance, lack of investments, failure by successive governments to do the right thing over the years.
“What we have witnessed over the years is government paying lip service to doing things in the Nigerian power sector”, the ANED boss said.
He contended that between 1989 and 1999, a period of ten years, Nigeria has four leaders, adding that “as at 1989, we have Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, followed by Chief Ernest Shonekan, Gen. Sani Abacha, and then followed by Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar. Nigeria’s population grew rapidly within that period of ten years, but not a single power plant was built.
“In normal countries, you build your power infrastructure in accordance with your growing population. What we had was a neglect on the part of government to do what they are supposed to do over the years.
“And that is not just blaming any government, I am just saying that this problem started long ago, but it is time for us to do something, because unless we arrest the situation, I am afraid the grid will continue to collapse,” he said.
Oduntan noted that the government is taking action to reverse the trend.
“I am aware of a meeting yesterday and I am aware that there is a public hearing tomorrow.
“For us in ANED we have been calling for the unbundling of the TCN since 2015. I was in the news around September 2015, calling for the removal of System Operator on the grip of TCN. TCN is 100% owned by the government. TCN is still like old NEPA. And let’s be honest, you cannot continue to have public utility managing the grid or stabilising the grid.
“Now the government has decided in its own wisdom to come up with Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO). I hope it will be well implemented by putting people there on merit to do the right thing,” he said.
He expressed the necessity for increased power generation to the meet the country’s energy demand.
“We are 200 million in Nigeria I was told, so we need to generate more power to take care of the population.
“We also need spinning reserve to maintain the stability of the grid.
“There is need for technical and financial alignments,” he advised.
