POWER SAVING IN OUR INSTITUTUTIONS

Umar uba
Kashim Lbrahim library
Ahmadu Bello University
Zaria..
Oct 2011


POWER SAVING IN OUR INSTITUTUTIONS

There have been several discussions on this issue but we shall not relent, rather we shall continue to struggle to save more power these great institutions.
Our institutions are major consumers of power in every PHCN District. This is because of our several students hostel rooms, vast office blocks, staff quarters, parks and streets. All these require a lot of lighting to keep peace in our schools.
The question is 'what sort of lighting medium are we using?'
The use of incandescent, Halogen and choked fluorescent lamps have been discovered to be a major consumer of our power. This became known after the introduction of energy saving lamps from the foreign markets.
I was impressed on my recent visit to an establishment that is a major consumer of power. i.e. The A.B.U. Teaching Hospital. Zaria. Although on medical ground the power saving measure is impressive. The hospital must have recorded a savings on its power tariff charged by the PHCN and will smile more if more measures are taken.
The idea of replacing the once upon common incandescent/halogen/choked lamps with energy saving lamps is welcome.
In an instance in the hospital a space with twenty five units of 40w =1000w choked fluorescent lamp is now being replaced with six units of 85w*6 =510w and a second sample is an office with 20w*4*4=320w that now conveniently lits with 85w*2=170w In most of the wards and spaces visited a 50% saving must have been recorded.
The time has come for us to adjust in our institutions same way as we have adjusted in our residences and business areas. so as to cut the rising PHCN tariff and diesel cost.
The transformation could be approached in stages.
stage 1: the student affairs could be charged to replace all the lamps in the students rooms to a lower wattage but brighter out-put lamps.
Stage 2: the street/parks that house these choked and halogen lamps should also be attended to similarly. Some departments in our various institutions are beginning to understand the use of these lamps and have had the bulbs in their individual offices replaced with the lower wattage lamps. More encouragement must be given.
The next stage is to issue an advice to residence in our quarters to imbibe this culture.
This and more will give the institutions an opportunity to save our funds for other resources.