The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Chairman, Sanusi Garba, an engineer, was yesterday taken aback as the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Market Operator, Ali Bukar revealed that he has been sitting on the N30 billion appropriated for the procurement of a spinning reserve in to stabilise the national grid.
He bemoaned the MO for refusal to spend the fund on the spinning reserve, insisting Bukar is “not a banker”.
Garba who was making his concluding remarks at the public consultation on power system disturbances in Abuja, urged the MO to spend the money on the spinning reserve and revert to the commission if the fund is inadequate.
Spinning reserve is a crucial component of power grid management, providing backup energy that is online but not currently generating power. It can respond within 10 minutes to sudden demand increases or generator failures.
Spinning reserves are vital for maintaining grid stability and frequency, ensuring reliable electricity supply during unforeseen disruptions.
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Garba said, “There have been also references to spinning reserve and the commission went about to providing resources for spinning reserve. In fact the Market Operator mentioned that he is sitting on N30 billion for spinning reserve.
And this is identifying the role of the critical thing we need to do to make sure there is stability of grid.
“Obviously, you are not banker, you are supposed to use that money for the purpose it was meant for. If there is is any indication of inadequacy, to revert to the commission.”
He said there were repeated reference to Free Governor Control, urging the generation companies to address the issue.
Garba, who was worried about the frequency of grid collapse in the country, described it as a national embarrassment.
He said there were recommendations for the replacement of the legacy assets in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
Garba said the NERC will also look into the recommendation for the evaluation of the integrity of the national grid.
He added that there were recommendations to engage DisCos and GenCos to expeditiously ramp up capacity.
Meanwhile, the Power Generating Companies ( Gencos), disclosed that the national grid has collapsed 162 times in the last 11 years.
Its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC). Dr Joy Ogaji, said, “ 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, however, called for a proactive solution to tackle the recurring grid collapses in the country. Also, the Electricity Distribution Companies, also known as DisCos, have described the frequent grid collapses as embarrassing, saying that it has dented their reputation.
Speaking for the DisCos, Malla Umar Sanni Bello from Jos Disco, stated that the development had given impetus to some of its big customers, like manufacturers threatening to leave the company.