Stable energy supply: Senate partners South Korean firm

By Patrick Wemambu

Recurring blackouts with far-reaching implications affecting industries, businesses and households may soon become a thing of the past in Nigeria if the recent partnership arrangement between the country’s Senate and a South Korean energy firm succeeds.

Sitting Monday in the red chambers in a brain-storming session with the Asian energy company – BK Energy – the Senate Committee on Power told the visitors that Nigerians were tired of incessant grid collapses and epileptic power supply that have bedevilled the nation over the years. They canvassed an end to the imbroglio.

Led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), the Committee told the energy investor that basic infrastructure of power is what the country needs – having been stuck with 4,000 megawatts of electricity generation over the years owing to 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,” Abaribe expressed.

He added; “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.”

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Responding, the energy investors represented by Mr Haeagwoo Lee and Sangwoo Park, said 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 population of about 50 million people has 130,000 megawatts of electricity generation which is not loaded on a single or national grid alone.

“There is need for decentralization when it comes to wheeling or transmission of power generation to avoid waste or incessant collapse,” the South Korean warned.

Observing that 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, Mr. Lee advised, “Coconut trees can also be used to build a generating plant in any neighborhood.”

Earlier, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TUG Energy, Mr Uzo Udemba who led the South Korean investors to the National Assembly, had explained to the Committee that the new paradigm shift in the energy sector is Green Hydrogen which Nigeria should reposition itself as the hub.

He cautioned that many countries of the world are moving away from the National Grid model of power storage and distribution – to avoid disappointment of grid collapse as 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,” Udemba explained.