Gas Shortage Drops Power Generation By 964MW
Andah John with Agency report
Due to dearth of gas, Nigeria’s power generation has dropped from 4,285 megawatts recorded on 16 September to 3,321 megawatts.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria puts the total output of all the generation companies at 3,321.50 megawatts.
An official of TCN, who preferred anonymity, said the electricity generation had been dwindling as companies cannot access gas.
Rapid drop
Similarly, a top management official of Egbin Power Station, who also pleaded anonymity, disclosed that the plant now generates and distributes between 250 megawatts and 300 megawatts.
The official said that Egbin, with an installed capacity of 1,320 megawatts, has the capacity to wheel over 1,000 megawatts daily.
Meanwhile, the General Manager, Communications of the Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc, Godwin Idemudia, has attributed recent outages to the drop in energy allocation to it.
Idemudia said the company is receiving less than 300 megawatts instead of 1,300 megawatts needed to service its consumers.
Seeking partnership
He also noted that the company had reached agreement with independent power companies. This is to augment the little energy being received from the national grid to meet energy demands of its customers.
The Eko DISCO secured additional 160 megawatts of electricity to augment its allocation from the national grid.
He said, “We have entered into bilateral agreements with Egbin Power Plc and Paras Energy & Natural Resources Development Limited for 100 megawatts and 60 megawatts respectively.
“But the generation companies are constrained by gas challenges.
“We are also working on embedded power programme aimed at producing 480 megawatts for distribution to our customers.”
Consumers express grievance
Some residents of Ikosi, Arepo and Obanikoro in Lagos within Ikeja Electric Distribution Company’s operations had staged series of protests over power outages in their areas.
The protesters, who came in their hundreds, chanted songs to express their grievances. They further went as far as preventing officials of the company and other consumers from entering the premises.
