Energy

Gas shortage cripples GenCos

Published

7 years ago

January 17, 2017

Olu Emmanuel

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Power generation drops to 3,000megawatts
Consumers thrown into hours of unending blackout

The energy sector in the country has lost 1,062 Megawatts (Mw) of electricity generation transmitted to the National Grid because of turbine faults and gas shortage.

The National Grid had risen to a high power generation quantum of 4,160 Megawatts on January 1, 2017 but declined to 3,432 Megawatts last week; after which there has been further decline to 3,098 Megawatts last Sunday, indicating a loss of 1,062 Megawatts.

Nigeria System Operator (NSO) on Monday revealed that the lowest generation was around 2,700 Megawatts.

It was indicated that the drop in electricity generation was preponderantly caused by shortage in supply of gas to the 23 Generation Companies (GenCos).

More so, the breakdown of two turbines was also identified as part of the cause of the energy shortage. There were said to be undergoing repairs.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) had in December 2016, raised alarm that whenever power generation drops below 3,000 Megawatts, the stability of the transmission network cannot be sustained.

Meanwhile, electricity supply to millions of homes, offices and factories have been cut off.

Several consumers now suffer blackout for as long as one week, some others, months, at a stretch. The irony is that those consumers that are not yet provided prepaid metres still receive exorbitant bills from the electricity providers even in the blackout regime.