The Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) has launched solar mini-grid guidelines that would support the enforcement of standardized procedures in solar power installations.
The Minister of State for Power, Mr Goddy Jedy-Agba, yesterday said, “It also serves as a guide for enforcement of technical standards and requirements in reliable energy especially for solar mini-grid installation, engineers and critical officers.
“I urge NEMSA to ensure that this set of guidelines are available at all time-and widely publicized in the industry,” he said.
The Managing Director of NEMSA and Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation, Engr. Peter Ewesor, said: “The guidelines will strengthen the capacity of NEMSA to carry out solar mini-grid inspections in Nigeria. It will support the standardisation of the procedure in the mini-grid sector and the alignment of mini-grid electrical installations to global electric standards of the International Electrical Commission (IEC) and local standards.
“The guideline document is not for sale and we will distribute it round to all parts of the country to ensure circulation for people who are in the business of solar energy.”
The guidelines were developed with support from Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP) co-funded by the European Union and the German Government, and implemented by its agency, GIZ along with the Federal Ministry of Power.
The Head of NESP, Duke Benjamin, said: “These guidelines will ensure that the mini-grids that are commissioned meet certain key technical standards for the sake of the safety of the end-users.”
The MD of Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Ahmad Salihijo, said the 30 day for correcting faults after NEMSA inspection of mini-grids should be extended, adding that the five year review period should be reduced due to rapid developments of solar energy.
