Power supply from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has dropped from 2,979.06 Mega Watts (MW) recorded last Sunday to 2,817.05MW on Tuesday, the Federal Ministry of Power said.
Supply by Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, according to the power statistics which the ministry posted on its website yesterday, dipped by 162.01MW in the period under review.
Of the 2,880.72 MW that the Electricity Generation Companies (Gencos) produced, the TCN wheeled 2,817.05 MW to the Electricity Distribution Companies (Discos), leaving 63.67MW stranded in transmission.
The electricity market, however, reached a peak of 3,114.60MW from the 2,893.7MW recorded last Sunday, showing an increase of 220.9MW.
The Group Executive Director, Gas and Power, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. David Ige, explained that the loss of 400 million standard cubic feet per day (mscf/f) of gas and reduction in water level at the hydro plants was responsible for the decline in power supply.
According to him, some major pipelines were out of operation because they were vandalised as generation from Shiroro hydropower plant dropped to about 300MW due to inadequate water level.
Ige assured that once the water level hits about one billion cubic feet a day (bscf/d), the electricity market would record a significant improvement.
The NNPC chief was quoted as saying: “At the moment, gas supply to power stations is about one billion cubic feet a day (bscf/d). Before the end of this year, we expect to see a significant increase as well. Cumulatively in the country, we are producing about two billion cubic feet of gas per day. Some of the gas we produce are available, but is probably stranded because some of the plants are not ready.
For example, we have got gas at Gbarian-Ubie power plant, commissioned shortly. We have gas at Omoku, which is awaiting the power plant. We have gas at Egbema power plant. When you bring all these volumes together, we have close to two billion cubic feet per day.”
But, the management of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company yesterday explained the reason for the loss of electricity supply to some parts of its franchise area, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In a statement, the firm said the loss of power supply was as a result of the sharp drop in the quantum of power made available to it by the System Operator, which it said was attributable to a (partial) system collapse.
The company, however, said all concerned players in electricity supply industry, especially the generation and transmission companies, were already working on the system with a view to restoring supply as quickly as possible.
Pledging that it would immediately distribute the load allocated to it by the System Operator, the management appealed for the understanding of its customers.
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