The Federal Government has commenced construction of a new ultra-modern National Control Centre for the Nigerian Independent System Operator, NISO, in Osogbo, Osun State, to strengthen monitoring and management of the electricity grid.
The new facility will replace the existing 64-year-old control centre which officials said no longer meets technical demands of managing the increasingly interconnected grid.
The groundbreaking was performed Wednesday with Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, in attendance.
Tegbe said the centre will provide NISO with real-time visibility of activities across national grid and enable operators respond quickly to faults and system disturbances. He described project as part of efforts to address weaknesses affecting electricity supply and improve grid reliability.
When completed, facility will feature integrated Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, SCADA, system, large-format displays and advanced analytics to help operators identify developing faults, plan preventive maintenance and optimise generation and transmission capacity.
It is also expected to improve responses to grid disturbances, support integration of renewable energy and strengthen Nigeria’s coordination within West African Power Pool. It will include enhanced physical and cybersecurity measures.
Officials noted reliable electricity will also require adequate gas supply, properly maintained transmission infrastructure and effective distribution networks.
