Four Plants Idle As Power Grid Sheds 893.2MW

Nigeria is currently witnessing power supply shortage as the Transmission Company of Nigeria revealed on Saturday that four power generating plants could not generate any megawatt of electricity the preceding day.

Also, industry figures released on Saturday showed that the total quantum of power on the country’s electricity grid dropped from a peak of 4,129.7MW on Thursday to 3,236.5MW on Friday.

This indicated that the country’s power generation dropped by 893.2MW within a space of 24 hours.

The General Manager, Public Affairs, TCN, Ndidi Mbah, explained that the nation’s power sector was experiencing power supply shortage as a result of low gas supply.

This, according to her, had restrained the ability of many thermal power stations to generate optimally.

TCN stated that thermal power plants affected by gas supply constraint include Sapele National Integrated Power Project, Olorunsogo NIPP, Ihovbor NIPP and Azura Edo power plants, as they generated zero megawatt of electricity on Friday.

“Other thermal power plants equally affected but generated at lower capacities include Egbin (Steam), Sapele (Steam), Delta (gas), Geregu (gas), Omotosho(gas), Olorunsogo (gas), Geregu NIPP, Alaoji NIPP, Omotosho NIPP, Odukpani NIPP, Okpai (Gas/Steam) and Omoku (gas) power generating plants,” TCN stated.

It added, “As a result of the prevailing gas constraints, there has been significant reduction in the quantum of power transmitted to the various distribution companies for onward supply to electricity consumers across Nigeria.”

The transmission company, however, stated that it had discussed with the management of some of the affected power plants and many of them attributed their challenges to gas pipeline and processing maintenance being carried out by their gas suppliers.