Experts see tackling transmission, metering hiccups as solution to power sector challenges

Any plan by the federal government to resolve the over five decade long challenges in the power sector must start from addressing issues around transmission and metering. Industry experts have advised.

Analysts insist that government should target its funding at Transmission and Metering support to get the required results from the power sector.

Dolapo Oni, Head, Energy Research, Ecobank  observed that if government can expand transmission capacity by 2GW alone in the next 12 months that would enable more power supply.

Oni in proffering a way forward for the power sector opines that there is the need for aggressive metering adding that nobody should have power without a prepaid meter.

He however observed that most of decision to be taken are structural issues and need regulation to support. “Getting power right requires starting with Power Engineers leading a team of multi-discipline technocrats right from the word go” he added.

Ayodele Oni a specialist in international energy investment law & policy reiterates that Nigeria’s power sector has had a long history of under-investment in its energy value chain.

According to him, “Factors such as low tariffs, poor regulatory oversight, vandalism of gas infrastructure and weak governance had played different roles in further compounding the Nigerian power sector problems”

He commended government for the step taken in the past few months in the power sector, however, he posit that for the projection to gain traction and materialise there is need for government to be more radical in harnessing the potentials of same; including conducting an overhaul of private sector involvement and taking a proactive approach to dealing with the militating power sector challenges.

“It is quite laudable that the federal government of Nigeria, has unveiled its five-year plan to boost power transmission capacity from 5,500Megawatts (Mw) to 10,000Mw in the next three years”. “The plan targets transmission capacity of 8,200Mw by 2018 and 10,000Mw by 2019.

He is however concerned that a goal without a plan is just a wish saying that if the right approach is carried it is expected that the plan will ensure not just expansion, but also promote a more flexible transmission system.

KELECHI EWUZIE