By Victor Ahiuma-Young
RESIDENTIAL Task force on Power, PTFP, has inaugurated a National Steering Committee on Demand Side Management to implement “the Nigerian Energy Efficiency Programme,” aimed at devising strategies for reducing cases of wasteful and inefficient consumption of electricity in the country.

Chairman of PTFP, and Special Adviser to President Jonathan on Power, Professor Barth Nnaji, while inaugurating committee, said the committee which is made up of staff of the PTFP, the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, the Federal Ministry of Power ,FMP, the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IEDC, and the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC)

A statement by PTFP.’s Chairman, Communications Committee, Mr. Abimbola Agboluaje, the committee would immediately begin to explore ways of ensuring that Nigerians conserve as much as possible of the country’s electric power generation for productive uses.

According to the statement: “Consumer demand side management is an essential part of the strategy to satisfy electric power demand even in advanced economies with much greater capacity to produce electricity. It is estimated that about 1,000 of Nigeria’s 3,500-megawatt current electricity consumption could be conserved and put to productive use through initiatives that encourage consumers to use electricity more efficiently.

This highlights the critical importance of the Committee’s task. It costs between $1 to $1.5 million to develop a megawatt of power plant capacity in Nigeria, hence by making an additional 1,000 megawatts of electricity available for re-distribution through efficient use of electric power, Nigeria would not only be enjoying 75 per cent more power, the country would also be saving $1 to $1.5 billion that would have been required for developing the capacity to supply the additional 1,000 megawatts.

Part of the Committee’s work, amongst others, will be to educate consumers on the use energy-saving electric bulbs which consume 60 % less electric power in homes and offices.”

Professor Bart Nnaji said during the inauguration “This is an initiative to encourage efficiency in the use of our current limited capacity and even when we have full reliable capacity. If 500,000 Nigerians don’t turn on their light when they don’t need it and use energy-saving bulbs, this small personal contribution releases a lot of energy for productive use. We will save a lot of wasted energy from this. We want using energy efficiently to become a way of life for Nigerians”.

The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Power (PTFP) reminded the committee of the need to be proactive and result-oriented, noting that there is no time to lose in realising its set goal. He charged the Committee to develop a sustainable programme for efficient utilisation of electricity in Nigeria.

The committee is chaired by Engineer Chidi Ike, a Technical Adviser (Transmission and Distribution) with the PTFP. Other members are Mr. A. O. Yusuf (NERC), Mr. B. A. Azuwike (NERC); Mr. Paul Anike (PTFP), Engineer Abu Kadiri (PTFP), Engineer Mike A. Ezugwu of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and Engr. A.F. Adedeji of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IEDC).