Power Stations in Nigeria and their capacities

According to the former Minister of Power, Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, Nigeria can generate 13,000 megawatts of power. But Nigeria has not been able to move beyond 6,000 megawatts.

One will wonder if there are no power stations that could proffer solutions to the poor power supply that has been the main problem Nigeria has ever faced. Many companies have left Nigeria for Ghana, as they are tired of spending money in powering their generators that will also require repairs due to usage.

This is why this article has come to answer some of the burning questions about our power stations and their capacity to operate optimally and provided adequate power supply for all.

The minister, during the interview, also revealed that the power generation companies (Gencos) and Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) usually sell a huge amount of power to the distribution companies (Discos), but they refused to buy by returning them.

Thus it means Nigerian can generate what should be enough, but the problem the Discos have been facing is power theft. Although they have their issues with customers, they have been overbilling and giving estimated bill.

Types of power plants in Nigeria

Before delving into the main topic, it is important to note that there are currently two main types of power plants operating in Nigeria. They include:

(1) Hydro-electric: This power station is gas-fired plants, which now dominates the Nigerian power supply mix. Electricity production from hydroelectric sources in Nigeria, according to a finding in 2014, was at 17.59%. The information released by the World Bank collection of development indicators was compiled from officially recognized sources.

(2) Thermal or fossil fuel power plants: This comes in two types; (i) coal-fired and (ii) natural gas-fired.

These have a total installed capacity of 8457.6MW (81 percent of total) in early 2014.

Note that they are three tiers of ownership in power stations. All the stations in Nigeria are not wholly owned by the Federal Government of Nigeria, as there is a plan to privatize these power plants.

There are other power stations, like the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), which is owned by the three tiers of government in Nigeria (Federal, State and Local). These power plants are referred to as being part of the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP).

The other owner of some power plants are the state governments and/or private companies/individuals. Such a power plant is referred to as being an Independent Power Producer (IPP).

That aside, this subject will be achieving the main purpose of acquainting you with the information about the power stations in Nigeria and their capacities.

Let’s begin looking at them according to their type. They include:

1. 1.Fossil fuel power stations
2. Hydroelectric

Power station	Community		Type	Capacity	Status	Year completed	Gas supply source
AES Barge (IPP)	Egbin		Simple cycle gas turbine	270 MW	Non-operational [2]	2001	Escravos–Lagos Pipeline System
Aba Power Station (IPP)	AbaAbia State	5°09′11″N7°18′38″E	Simple cycle gas turbine	140 MW		2012
Afam IV-V Power Station (FGN)	AfamRivers State	4°51′05″N7°15′17″E	Simple cycle gas turbine	726 MW (Afam IV -6 x 75 MW (GT 13-18), Afam V -2 x 138 MW (GT 19-20))[4]	Non-operational	1982 (Afam IV)- 2002 (Afam V)	Okoloma gas plant
Afam VI Power Station (IPP)	AfamRivers State		Combined cycle gas turbine	624 MW	Partially operational	2009 (Gas turbines) 2010 (Steam turbines)	Okoloma gas plant
Alaoji Power Station (NIPP)	Abia state		Combined cycle gas turbine	1074 MW	Partially operational	2012-2015	Norten Option Gas Pipeline  from Obigbo gas plant
Calabar Power Station(NIPP)	Calabar	5°11′21″N8°16′25″E	Simple cycle gas turbine	561 MW	Non-operational	2014	UQUO gas plant(planned)
Egbema Power Station(NIPP)	Imo State	5°33′56″N6°44′18″E	Simple cycle gas turbine	338 MW	Non-operational	2012-2013	Gbarain Ubie gas plant(planned)
Egbin Thermal Power Station(FGN but Privatized)	Egbin	6°33′47″N3°36′55″E	Gas-fired steam turbine	1320 MW (six 220-MW units)	Partially operational (1000 MW)	1985-1986	Escravos–Lagos Pipeline System
Geregu I Power Station- Privatized	GereguKogi State		Simple cycle gas turbine	414 MW	Partially operational	2007	Oben-Geregu pileline, Oben gas plant
Geregu II Power Station(NIPP)	GereguKogi State		Simple cycle gas turbine	434 MW [19]	Partially operational	2012	Oben-Geregu pileline, Oben gas plant
Ibom Power Station (IPP)	Ikot Abasi	4°33′53″N7°34′06″E	Simple cycle gas turbine	190 MW	Partially operational (90 MW)	2009
Ihovbor Power Station(NIPP)	Benin City	6°24′20″N5°41′00″E	Simple cycle gas turbine	450 MW	Partially operational	2012-2013	Escravos–Lagos Pipeline System
Okpai Power Station (IPP)	Okpai		Combined cycle gas turbine	480 MW	Operational	2005	Obiafu-Obrikom(Ob-Ob) gas plant
Olorunsogo Power Station	Olorunsogo	6°52′55″N3°18′52″E	Simple cycle gas turbine	336 MW, (8 x 42 MW)	Partially operational	2007	Escravos–Lagos Pipeline System
Olorunsogo II Power Station(NIPP)	Olorunsogo	6°53′08″N3°18′56″E	Combined cycle gas turbine	675 MW NDPHC (4×112.5 MW and 2×112.5 MW steam turbines.)Working below capacity due to gas supply issues.	Partially operational	2012	Escravos–Lagos Pipeline System
Omoku Power Station (IPP)	Omoku		Simple cycle gas turbine	150 MW (6 x 25 MW gas turbines)Rocksonengineering.	operational	2005	Agip (Obiafu-Obrikom(Ob-Ob) gas plant)
Omoku II Power Station(NIPP)	Omoku		Simple cycle gas turbine	225 MW (2 x 112.5 MW gas turbines)	Non-operational	Incomplete
Omotosho I Power Station (FGN-Privatized)	Omotosho	6°44′09″N4°42′39″E	Simple cycle gas turbine	336 MW [35]; (8 x 42 MW)	Partially operational	2005	Escravos–Lagos Pipeline System
Omotosho II Power Station(NIPP)	Omotosho		Simple cycle gas turbine	450 MW, (4×112.5 MW)	Partially operational	2012	Escravos–Lagos Pipeline System
Sapele Power Station-Privatized	Sapele	5°55′31″N5°38′44″E	Gas-fired steam turbine and Simple cycle gas turbine	1020 MW (Phase I: 1978-1980 6 x 120 MW Gas-fired steam turbines,phase II: 1981 4 x 75 MW gas turbines)	Partially operational (135 MW)	1978–1981	Escravos–Lagos Pipeline System
Sapele Power Station (NIPP)	Sapele	5°55′40″N5°38′41″E	Simple cycle gas turbine	450 MW (4×112.5 MW	Partially operational	2012	Escravos–Lagos Pipeline System
Transcorp Ughelli Power Station (privatised)known also as Delta power station.	Ughelli, Delta State	5°32′28″N5°54′56″E	Simple cycle gas turbine	900 MW	Partially Operational(465 MW)	1966-1990 Plant was built in 4 phases.I: 1966 (decommissioned), II: 1975 6 x 25 MW, III: 1978 6 x 25 MW, IV: 1990 6 x 100 MW	Utorogu, Ugheli East gas plant
Ibom Power Plant (AKSG)	Ikot Abasi		Combined cycle gas turbineIbom Power Plant presently consist of two GE Frame 6B and one Frame 9E turbine generators installed in a simple cycle configuration, using the conventional open cycle gas turbine (OCGT) technology. These three gas turbines are: GTG 1(Model PG 6551B), GTG 2(Model PG 6561B), and GTG3 (Model PG 9171E) combined to give an installed capacity of 191MW.	191MW	Operational Since 2009	2010→	Uquo CPF by Frontier Oil Limited / 7E JV}
Azura Power Station (IPP)	Benin City	6°24’47.71″N 5°40’42.96″E	Simple cycle gas turbine	450 MW	Fully operational	2018

Hydroelectric