Power electronics, lasting solution to grid instability —Expert

An engineering expert,  Adekunle Seun Oyebode, has identified power electronics as a solution to recurring electricity grid failures, arguing that the power crisis is a problem of grid control coupled with inadequate generation.

In a technical article titled “The Invisible Engineering: How Power Electronics Can Stabilise Nigeria’s Grid and Why It Now Runs the World,” Oyebode said repeated national grid collapses highlight the urgent need for modern grid-control technologies capable of preventing voltage and frequency instability.

He referenced the January 2026 national grid collapse, during which electricity generation reportedly dropped from 3,825 megawatts to just 39 megawatts within minutes, describing the incident as evidence of a power system struggling with inadequate control mechanisms.

According to him, official explanations often cite voltage disturbances as the immediate cause of grid failures, but the underlying issue is the absence of advanced technologies that can respond instantly to fluctuations within the transmission network.

Oyebode explained that power electronics, which uses semiconductor devices to regulate and control electrical energy, has become indispensable in modern electricity systems worldwide. He identified Flexible Alternating Current Transmission Systems (FACTS), particularly the Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM), as one of the most effective technologies for stabilising electricity networks.

He noted that STATCOMs can inject or absorb reactive power within milliseconds, enabling them to stabilise voltage much faster than conventional mechanical equipment currently deployed across Nigeria’s transmission network.

The engineer further observed that Nigeria’s electricity regulator has documented grid frequency fluctuations outside internationally accepted operating limits, a development he said reflects the country’s persistent grid instability.

He also pointed to the ageing state of the national transmission infrastructure, noting that many transformers and transmission lines were built decades ago and are increasingly unable to meet present-day electricity demands.

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Oyebode said simply increasing electricity generation without strengthening grid control systems will not solve the country’s power challenges.

He argued that power electronics is essential for integrating renewable energy into the national grid, explaining that solar power plants and battery energy storage systems depend on inverters and other power-electronic converters to deliver stable electricity compatible with the transmission network.

Without such technologies, he said, expanding renewable energy capacity could further strain an already fragile grid.

Drawing parallels with the global technology industry, Oyebode noted that modern hyperscale data centres supporting artificial intelligence rely heavily on advanced power-electronic systems to maintain uninterrupted and precisely regulated electricity supplies.

He argued that grid stability has become a strategic requirement for the digital economy, making investments in power electronics increasingly important worldwide.

The engineering expert also cited World Bank estimates indicating that unreliable electricity costs Nigeria about $29 billion annually, representing nearly one-tenth of the country’s economic output.

He attributed a significant portion of these losses to persistent voltage and frequency instability, which he said modern power-electronic compensation systems are specifically designed to address.

Rather than waiting for a complete overhaul of the national transmission network, Oyebode recommended deploying STATCOMs and other FACTS devices at critical substations to strengthen vulnerable sections of the grid.

He also advocated the adoption of grid-forming inverters as renewable energy capacity expands, while calling on Nigerian engineering institutions to develop local expertise in power electronics to ensure sustainable deployment and maintenance of the technology.

Oyebode concluded that Nigeria’s electricity challenge should no longer be viewed solely as a shortage of generating capacity, but also as a shortage of modern control systems capable of maintaining grid stability.

He maintained that embracing advanced power electronics could significantly improve electricity reliability and position Nigeria for future growth driven by renewable energy, digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence.