Power generation drops by 2,841mw in a week
Between July 17 to July 23, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) wheeled out 22,978 megawatts of electricity against the 25,819 megawatts generated in the previous week. Power generation dropped by 2,841 megawatts between the two periods.
The Newsmen from the Nigerian Electricity System Operator (SO), a section of the TCN, obtained the daily statistics of TCN operations. This statistics showed that power generation between July 17 and July 23 was taken by 11 distribution companies.
Also the statistics stated that the daily power generation during the period were 3,227mw, 3,504mw, 3,285mw, 3,656mw, 3,579mw, 2,898mw and 2,829mw, respectively. However, the daily distribution to distribution companies (DISCOs) between July 10 and July 16 were 3,511mw, 3,973mw, 3,915mw, 3,947mw, 3,3511mm, 3,487mw and 3,475mw, respectively.
More over, the TCN indicated that the national peak demand forecast stood at 19,100.00mw, of which 11,165.40mw was the installed available capacity, 7,139.60mw was the available capacity, 7,000mw was current transmission capacity and network operational capacity of 5,500.00mw.
It can be recalled that the peak generation ever attained in Nigeria was 5,074.7mw, while the maximum energy ever attained stood at 109,372.01mwh. The President of Nigerian Gas Association, Mr Dada Thomas said that the nationwide shortage of available natural gas supply was the most critical issue facing the Nigerian power sector. Thomas said that his association, gas producers and investors in the country would be at ease if the natural gas shortage was checked at least in the short term.
In his explanation, the shortfall in natural gas supply, has been further worsened by pipeline vandalism. Thomas said the problem was impacting on cost-reflective electricity tariffs, unworkable Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and over regulation of gas price. He urged the Federal Government to take actions to resolve the problem and other challenges that had made further investments unattractive for gas producers, processors, pipelines and transportation companies.
