HARMONIZATION OF STANDARDS WITHIN THE SUB-REGIONS, A … INOGUNUOM.pdf · iPAD West Africa 2008, Abuja, NIGERIA Title of presentation HARMONIZATION OF STANDARDS WITHIN THE SUB-REGIONS,

iPAD West Africa 2008, Abuja, NIGERIA

Title of presentationHARMONIZATION OF STANDARDS WITHIN THE SUB-REGIONS, A KEY TO ACCESS TO GOOD AND QUALITY ELECTRICITY FOR THE PEOPLE OF

AFRICA

Prepared by Dr Inugonum TomSenior Manager

Power System Planning

IPAD West Africa 2008, Abuja, NIGERIA

• In a bid to evolve from the usual slogan that Africa is the Dark Continent of the World which stem from the fact that a few percentage of the African countries have enough electricity for its citizens. Such countries include South Africa with a 40GW installed capacity and targeting additional 20GW to provide quality and reliable energy in the Southern Coast of Africa. Algeria, Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia are already in the forefront and can boast of at least 60% of electricity supply to its populace.

1.0 ABSTRACT


Continuation

� In West Africa, it is difficult to say that we have up to 50% electricity supply in our various countries; Nigeria with a population of 150 million is struggling to achieve 10GW to 15GW before 2010 -2015 with rural electrification less than 0.02% of the entire population.

� The problem that led to this low electrification in the sub-region can be linked to different standards of operation existing in the sub-region. These different standards include different, operating frequencies and voltages, methods of material procurement, equipment standards and different mode of operation


Continuation

� There could be a shift from this negative scenario if only a reasonable study is carried out and consultants hired to see how we can draw a road map towards harmonizing these standards which will eventually lead to a smooth interconnection of the sub-regional networks and thus develop the regional power highways.

� DRC has a 40GW hydro resource at the Congo river this is not harnessed yet, but stakeholders are discussing to see how an effective interconnection from DRC through Cameroon to Nigeria will be feasible.


Continuation

� This same DRC is presently involved in the West Core project with other Four African countries; Botswana, Angola, South Africa and Namibia. In a similar vein, they are equally trying to link up the East Africa Power Pools. They have secured a link to the north African Power pool through connection to Egypt, Apart from this Hydro resource in Central Africa, other hydro resources and energy sources exist in West African Sub-region, which When harnessed will help strengthen the sub-regional grid.

� The issue of harmonization is very vital in our operation and network development, this will help us have more access to electricity, cheap electricity, low cost of consumer connection to the distribution networks by the rural and urban dwellers, it will help ensure high quality electricity in the sub-region and strengthen weak grids and reduce operational down time due to fault and outages.


What are these standards and their roles

� My experience as a system planning Engineer shows that Standards are used as reference documents for international trade on which commercial transactions are based.

� They are used as tools for technical experts in the field of technology to clarify contractual relationships between the economic partners/blocks as well as settling contract disagreement.


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� It act as a security document/tools, since complete adherence to the standards by the utilities in the region will give a sense of security as well as satisfaction of operation and maintenance of the power infrastructure.

� Harmonization of these standards will help ensure technical and administrative compatibility.

� It will help unify the utilities in the sub-region with active and consistent participation in the constituted standard sub committees.


HARMONIZATION PROCESS

� The power utilities in the sub-region shall identify the needs and advantages of the proposed and anticipated standards.

� A committee on standards should be constituted by utilities, manufacturing associations, and standard bodies in the sub-region to identify areas that requires standardization.

� These sub – regional sub committees will draw up a draft of these required areas of standardization needs


� There should be a collective acceptance of the stakeholders in the identified area of standardization needs, and priority clearly defined.

� Agreement / consensus to be reached by stakeholder groups, which include the affected utilities joint technical committee members, DG’s/MD’s, Ministers of Energy and Heads of Government.

� The prioritized drawn up draft standards should be etched on a compact disc (CD), and sent to the affected stakeholders for public enquiries and to National/International bodies for evaluation.

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� The next stage will be to seek for the adoption of these standards through publication of the draft standards for review and criticism.

� Depending on the positive/nagative criticism received on the draft standards, this will determine its examination within the international reference standard committee’s, e.g. IEC, IEEE,ISO and ANSI, etc. results or comment from this reference standard committee's) will determine the final stage of seeking for its approval and final publication as an accepted standard.

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Role of harmonization Sub – Committee on standards:

� Each country within the sub-region shall constitute a committee from their Power Utilities, Independent Regulatory and Standard body that will be referred to as the National Standard Body whose mandate will be:

� To promote sub – regional cooperation in the development of standards and technical regulation.

� To facilitate the exchange of information between members on existing standards, draft standards and technical regulations

� To facilitate the adoption of Sub-regional standards by member states, this will involve other Power Pools such as WAPP, SAPP, PIESA, NAPP etc.


2.0 Why do we need to Harmonize these standards:

� We need to harmonize some important standard parameter, such as voltage levels and frequencies of operation within the sub-region in order to obtain an effective and efficient Power Transfer which is very important for the Power trade/market.

� 2. To have a uniform tariff for cross-boarder trade for effective interconnection and stability of the utilities.

� 3. To encourage technical staff cross-posting/transfer to neighboring utilities for exchange programme and also as a means of unifying our mode of operations.


continuation

� This will aid training of the operational staff on bilingual language (English & French) for effective communication and dissemination of information. This will help harmonize the types of communication equipment used in the sub-region for operation and opt for the best practice in the world

� To have a common Standard Operating Practice handbook (grid code)

� It will help unify the technical procurement methods, maintenance standard requirement for substation equipment and its installation. This will attract reduced cost of construction and improve access to electricity in the rural areas.


Weather Constitution

� In West African sub-region we have basically the same type of weather constitution, which include high temperature and attendant coastal salt water which constitutes devastating effect to electrical equipment mostly installed out-door.

� It will be made clear that we need to have a standard laboratory in each of these countries or rather in the sub-region to be able to carryout standard and uniformed test that will prove the recommended ambient temperature and pressure for the equipment to be used in our network. This is to avert system failure that will emanate from substandard equipment and materials.


Continuation

� Harmonization of these standards should start from the distribution level where these substandard materials are pronounced.

� This can be attended to by the formation of standard committee affiliated to the standard body of the individual country to work out modalities on how materials imported into their country should be tested and accepted into the system.

� In commencing with this task, we should take a look at the common materials/equipment that we are involved with on daily basis such as cables, conductors, poles/towers, transformers, circuit breakers/isolators, fuses etc before going deep to the Consumer/utilization of these materials such as the domestic use of materials.


continuation

� In harmonizing these materials/equipment in the sub-region, experts from the utilities shall be committed to examine thoroughly these items that will be listed for our distribution sectors.

� There is need to Carryout assessment of the design drawing, its installation and factor out a better procedure of carrying out these construction and installation and suggest ways for the best practices.

� Harmonization of standards should have its route from an existing standard or should have its reference from an existing standards such as the IEC, ANSI, IEEE and these must conform to the 1S0 1900 etc.


conituation

� Harmonization of standards is in line to support the establishment of AFSEC and also be in Constant touch with UPDEA which is an organ that monitors the Production, Transposition and Distribution of Electricity in Africa.

� Harmonization of standards and its practice will help facilitate connection points of the utilities at the interconnecting point with regards to the protection facilities.

� Harmonization of standards will help follow a particular format so as to have the same result at the interconnection points with regards to the protection and the SCADA facilities as well as the auxiliary equipment available at the substation or point of interface.


EFFECTIVE GRID OPERATION/DISCIPLINE

� Harmonization of standards will create a high degree of grid discipline within and outside the utilities and it will help our regulatory agencies in the sub-region to carry out their primary assignments with respect to determining the connection criteria/conditions and technical standards requirement, designation of electrical safety and quality services as well as consideration of appeals and criteria for license issuance.

� Power purchase approval as well as tariff review will follow the same process and procedure to have a healthy power market/trade.

� It will also help the utilities and its participants to follow the rule of the game and avoid penalties.


Benefits of Harmonization of Standards.

� Harmonization of standards will help us implement the demand side management with regards to energy saving and channel excess power to where it is needed through interconnection.

� Harmonization of standards will entrench the required regulatory autonomy of each country, because they are the ones regulating the electricity and should be aware of utilities needs and requirement to be able to a achieve high quality power and its efficiency.


continuation

� Harmonization of standards will help reduce exploitation by foreigner in Africa and as a key factor towards achieving good practices in our industry.

� In the case of metering, when harmonized it sets up a uniform standard for all the utilities in the sub-region, this will help them in their revenue collection methods.

� Harmonization will entrench good governance in the utilities structure.


Capacity building

� This training of utility staff will help us collaborate with neighboring utilities with regards to their mode of operation. It will encourage research with the academia which is the easiest way of developing, testing and evaluating standards.

� There will be the need to include standards in the Universities/Colleges of Technology Curriculum.

� This study of standards in our tertiary is very important. It will help the students to have a mind set about standard and the benefits derived from it in the field, however it will give more understanding while working in the field.

� It will help in the establishment of a standard laboratory in our various countries to carry out specified testing of network equipment.


Job creation

� Harmonization of standards will in no small way increase the job creation for the teaming graduate in our various countries.

� It will create more business opportunities for small scale enterprises and will open up the power trade market through interconnection.


Strengthening of the grid

� Harmonization of standard will help strengthen weak grids of the utilities in the sub-region, it will equally reduce the cost of implementing rural electrification, since the materials used shall be of the standard type that will reduce the risk of system/network failure and increase reliability as well as security to participants of the entire network.

� It will also enhance technology development such as an increase in cottage industries agricultural storage industries.


Indentify energy losses

� Harmonization of standards will help the utilities identify points of unacceptable energy and material losses in both construction and operation of both the power plant, grid and distribution networks.

� Harmonization, will assist us in building schemes that can be used to reduce these losses as it is obtained world best international practice.

� Harmonization will help utilities establish operational errors and entrench accountability and transparency as obtained in the world best practices.


Grid extension

� Grid extension and intensive electrification is one of the benefits of harmonization of standards since it provides a more reliable supply.

� Examples are countries like Cotonu and Togo that has little or no generation, they are presently receiving (80MW) supply through Ikeja West via Sakete 330kV link.

� For countries with one or two generators, If a severe fault occurs on any of them, it will cascaded resulting in a blackout. The restoration time will be reduced since the harmonized inter-connection will solve the problem or the blackout may not occur if you have a well trained operating staff.


Low tariff

� The harmonized interconnection or power highway of these utilities will create cheap electricity and low cost of connection and will make it accessible and affordable to all, thus when compared with the cost of diesel will show a large saving in terms of cash that would have been expended.

� Harmonization of standards between countries in the sub-region will encourage investment and competition of generator and grid participants thus resulting in reduction of the cost of electricity tariff.


Provision of ancillary services

� Harmonization of standard will improve the quality of supply of electrical energy by the utilities since it will help the Energy regulating organ to enforce the provision of the required ancillary services by the generator participants such as frequency control, equipment, black start and voltage control, reactive power provision etc.

� This will be enforced and participant penalized whenever they deviate from status quo.


Development of an independent sub-regional regulator

� Harmonization of standards within the sub-region will assist countries interconnected to fashion a way forward in creating/developing an independent electricity regulator whose task is to enforce standards on the participants of the interconnected grid, ensure maximum access to electricity by consumers.

� Development of models that will take care of tariff variations as a result of some factors that will detect energy cost, such as transmission line and gas pipeline vandalization, draught and other environmental effects.

� Development of independent regulator will help develop grid codes and standards for operation.


Conclusion

� It is evident from the above discussion that Harmonization of standards will bring in a lot of changes in our maintenance, operational and management processes.

� This will contribute in no small way towards ensuring the access, availability, reliability of quality and cheap electric energy to the people of Africa.

� It will entrench good governance and the world international best practices in our utilities.

Documents

HARMONIZATION OF STANDARDS WITHIN THE SUB-REGIONS, A … INOGUNUOM.pdf · iPAD West Africa 2008, Abuja, NIGERIA Title of presentation HARMONIZATION OF STANDARDS WITHIN THE SUB-REGIONS,