A total of 695 new power projects and electrical installations could not scale through the testing and certification processes of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA).
It was gathered that between October 2017 and December 2018, NEMSA inspected and tested 2,690 new electrical installations and power projects along the power supply value chain and utilisation.
Out of this figure, 1,994 scaled through and were certified by the agency, while 695 electrical installations and power projects were not certified after the test by NEMSA.
In a document obtained by our correspondent from the agency in Abuja, it explained that the impact of the inspection and certification exercise was that it helped to improve the country’s network stability, reliability, safety and minimised the use of sub standard materials and equipment in the sector.
“It also improved voltage profile and the delivery of power, reduced supply outages/failures and improved revenue for investors and industry stakeholders,” the agency stated.
Further analysis of the document showed that the agency also monitored 899 existing electricity networks and power systems during the period under review.
Of the 899 networks that were monitored and evaluated, 313 were resolved, while 586 were registered as unresolved.
The resolved cases helped in the reduction of technical losses within the networks, as NEMSA stated that the affected power distributors in the unresolved cases had been compelled to restore bad networks to the required standard and specification.
On the investigation of electrical accidents, it was gathered that the agency investigated a total of 51 electrical accidents/electrocutions during the period under review.
The agency urged residents across the country to avoid erecting structures under high-tension power lines and on the right-of-way of power assets in order to avoid electrical accidents and electrocution.
The Managing Director, NEMSA, Peter Ewesor, said, “We’ve been shouting about right-of-way issues, which has increased the level of electrical accidents and electrocution nationwide. We’ve issued an enforcement order which starts with first, disconnect anybody, either factory, residential houses, or other structures that are within the right-of-way of 330kV or 132kV power lines.”
