As part of efforts to enhance Nigeria’s power stability and end grid failures, the Senate Committee on Power held discussions with South Korean energy firm BK Energy on Monday to explore lasting solutions.
Led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), the committee emphasised the need for modernised infrastructure to ensure a reliable electricity supply for Nigerians. The engagement reflects the government’s commitment to addressing power challenges and fostering sustainable energy development.
Senator Abaribe pointedly told the energy investor that the basic infrastructure of power is what the country needs, having over the years been stuck with 4,000 megawatts of electricity generation due to a lack of transmission infrastructure to wheel any generation above that to the distribution channels.
“Our major concern as a committee and, by extension, as a people is how to break the bond and bridge the yawning gap of insufficient power generation in the country.
“We want you to be very practical in your submission for us to buy into whatever new technology or idea you have brought, which should serve as expected solutions for us.”
In their response, the South Korean-based BK Energy, represented by Mr Haeagwoo Lee and Sangwoo Park, said a mini-grid approach should be adopted by the Nigerian government to solve the incessant problem of national grid collapse.
According to Mr Lee, South Korea, which has a population of about 50 million people, has 130 000 megawatts of electricity generation that are not loaded on a single or national grid alone.
“There is a need for decentralisation when it comes to wheeling or transmission of power generation to avoid waste or incessant collapse.
“Nigeria is even a very lucky country where coconut is largely produced agriculturally, which can be converted to graphene for power generation as done in South Korea. Coconut trees can also be used to build a generating plant in any neighbourhood,” he said.
Earlier, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TUG Energy, Mr Uzo Udemba, who led the South Korean investors to the National Assembly, explained to the committee that the new paradigm shift in the energy sector is green hydrogen, which Nigeria should position itself as the hub.
He also added that many countries of the world are moving away from the national grid model of power storage and distribution to avoid the disappointment of grid collapse, as is often the case in Nigeria.
“The BK Energy from South Korea is here to practically share with Nigeria and Nigerians new technology of power generation, transmission and distribution by setting up factories here to train Nigerians across the three components,“ he stressed.
Comments are closed.