Power Generation Rises to 4,303MW as Sector Loses N1.2bn to Gas Crisis in a Day

Details from the daily electricity generation report from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Wednesday showed that Electricity generation yesterday rose to 4,232.6 Megawatts (MW), an appreciable improvement from the 3,500 MW recorded in the last two months.

This is as analysis from the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) Statistics showed that the power sector lost an estimated N1.2 billion on March 20, due to gas constraints.

Specifically, the agency put power output loss to gas constraints at 2,105MW.

However, even though relative peace has returned to Niger Delta, issues of gas supply remain a critical challenge in the sustainability of electricity generation.

The operational report from the TCN yesterday indicated sharp improvement even as target of meeting demand forecast of 19,100MW remains far.

TCN said “The power sector is plagued with structural issues in all key areas – generation, gas supply, transmission and distribution. To name a few of these challenges, the operational capacity of the country’s power plants is less than a third of their installed capacity.

“Chronic vandalism has crippled oil and gas pipelines, creating gas shortages at power plants. Underinvestment in maintenance and infrastructure has constrained our transmission grid. Finally, high collection and commercial losses have impacted the financial viability of the privatised distribution companies.”

Another goodnews is that power supply in Lagos and Ogun states is set to improve with the inauguration of some power equipment at the 330kV Transmission Substation in Ayobo, Lagos State.

TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Seun Olagunju, said “The power transmission equipment to be installed include transformers, protective devices, metering circuits as well as state-of- the- art control panels, which will facilitate the wheeling of more reliable power to the distribution companies and the people”.

“As a result of the volume of connections to be done, and the need to reduce attendant customer discomfort, the installation has been spread to take effect from March 6 to April 3rd, and only between 9am and 3pm daily”, Olagunju said.

Source: Business Highlights