The Association of Women Professional Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) has called on the Federal Government to harness artificial intelligence (AI) to address challenges in the power sector.
The Chairman of APWEN, Dr. Adebisi Osim, gave this advice on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, during the installation ceremony of the Chairman of the Ogbomosho branch of the association.
Mr Osim, who was represented by Professor Temitope Odetoyi, a member of the association, said AI has an unprecedented opportunity to tackle the challenges of the power sector head-on and revolutionize it.
He believes that advanced analytics and machine learning have the potential to optimize power generation, transmission, and distribution by analyzing vast amounts of data and identifying patterns, vulnerabilities, and areas for improvement. He said there is.
“As everyone knows, the power sector plays an important role in the socio-economic development of any country,” Osim said.
According to her, reliable and affordable access to electricity is the basis for industrial growth, job creation and improved overall living standards.
“However, Nigeria’s power sector has long been grappling with various obstacles that hinder its progress.
“These challenges range from insufficient generation capacity, aging infrastructure and limited access to clean and renewable energy sources to corruption, policy bottlenecks and inefficient electricity distribution systems.
“Today, however, we are at a tipping point. We are on the threshold of a new era marked by the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI).
“AI solutions allow us to tackle technical aspects of the power sector more accurately and efficiently.
“Predictive maintenance models help proactively address equipment failures, reduce downtime, and increase overall system reliability,” she said.
Osim said AI could also play an important role in addressing non-technical aspects of the power sector.
“By harnessing the power of AI to develop innovative solutions for metering, billing, and revenue collection, we can improve energy access, affordability, and equity.
“AI-powered smart grids enable real-time monitoring, demand forecasting and load balancing to ensure more efficient and stable power supply,” she said.
But Osim warned that as AI gains acceptance, we must also face the challenges it brings.
He said the introduction of AI technology requires a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework to address privacy, data protection and ethical concerns.
“We must guard against bias and ensure that AI solutions are developed inclusively, taking into account society’s diverse needs and perspectives,” the President said.
Written by Victor Adeoti
