About 2,514mw of electricity cannot be utilised due to 35
idle generation turbines across 15 Generation Companies (GenCos), even as the
national grid peaked at 4,464 megawatts (mw) last Sunday shortly before the
Democracy Day celebration.
The causes of the unutilised electricity were traced to
non-availability of gas to power, line constraints and high frequency caused by
the loss of DisCos’ feeders.
The Nigerian System Operator (NSO) statistics showed that
the grid was at 4,052mw yesterday when government commemorated the two years of
the present administration.
However, the lowest generation for the previous day, being
Sunday was at 3,483mw during the hours of low electricity utilisation.
Nigeria at present has 11,165mw of installed capacity but
can generate 7,139mw with adequate gas supply to the about 23 available
gas-fired power stations. While transmission facilities can evacuate 7,000mw of
the power, the network capability, especially at the Distribution Companies
(DisCos), can only take 5,500mw, the statistics indicated.
Further statistics obtained from the Transmission Company of
Nigeria (TCN) showed that 2,514mw was not utilised at the weekend because 35
turbines went out of operation across 15 power plants.
Analysis shows that nine power stations lost 1,932mw from 29
gas starved turbines. Five National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) plants
lost 1,355mw from 11 idle turbines. Geregu NIPP lost 290mw as its two turbines
were down; Olorunsogo NIPP lost 360mw due to three idle turbines, and Alaoji NIPP’s
two turbines were down, losing 240mw.
Two turbines in Omotosho NIPP did not work; losing 240mw
while Ihovbor NIPP also lost two turbines that could have produced 225mw.
The other four plants affected by gas lost 577mw as 18
turbines were down. Egbin Power lost 305mw due to three non-performing
turbines; Delta Power had 12 idle turbines and also lost 82mw; Omotosho Gas
lost 152mw from four idle turbines, and Olorunsogo Gas lost 38mw as a turbine
was down.
Another 347mw was lost to transmission line constraint in
three power plants and three idle turbines. Afam VI’s turbine lost out 200mw,
Ibom Power’s turbine lost 35mw, and Gbarain NIPP’s turbine lost 112mw. The loss
of DisCos’ feeders was said to have triggered high frequency in the system
network which affected three other plants and their three turbines as they lost
235mw. Shiroro hydropower lost 125mw, Jebba hydropower lost 90mw and Delta
Power lost 20mw.
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