African Governments Should Train Electrical Power Engineers-Dr Louie

An energy expert and Associate Professor and the Father Francis Wood Endowed Research Chair in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Seattle University, WA, USA, Dr Henry Louie has underscored the need for African governments to invest in the training of electrical power engineers, if challenges confronting the power sector on the continent are to be resolved.

He explained that engineers are the backbone of the energy sector, emphasizing they have to be trained so that they will be abreast with emerging technologies in renewable, thermal and hydro power.

Dr Louie, who has done research about power situation in Africa, noted that lack of training of electrical power engineers to properly manage power systems is one of the reasons which resulted in load shedding in some African countries.

“In my research, I realised that some of the hydro systems appear to be badly mismanaged, leading to widespread load shedding,” he said.

Dr Louie who is also the project leader for Kilo Watts for Humanity, an NGO was speaking in an interview with energynewsafrica.com at a four- day IEEE Power Africa Conference, which is currently ongoing in Abuja, capital of Nigeria.

The conference, which is under the theme: ‘Power Economics and Energy Innovation in Africa’ has brought together academicians, researchers, policy makers, students and CEOs in the power sector including CEO of Ghana Grid Company and Chairman of the African Council of the PES, Ing. Jonathan Amoako.

Source: www.energynewsafrica.com/courtesy: Energy Commission of Ghana