Power Generation Once Again Plunged to 3,456MW

• Power Generation Once Again Plunged to 3,456MW

Nigeria’s unstable power generation continued to fluctuate in February.

Power generation plunged from 4,564.60MW on February 19 to 3,456MW on February 24, a day after presidential and national assembly elections.

The Nigeria Electricity System Operator, an arm of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, revealed that national installed power generation capacity stood at 12,910.40MW; available capacity 7,652.60MW; transmission wheeling capacity 8,100MW; and the peak generation ever attained 5,375MW.

Nigeria generates most of its electricity from gas-fired plants, while hydropower plants contribute about 30 per cent.

The Executive Secretary, Association of Power Generation Companies, the umbrella body for the Gencos, Dr Joy Ogaji, attributed the fluctuation to transmission and distribution.

She said, “Specifically, generation companies are pinned down by some operational impediments. The frequency of instructions to either increase load or decrease load (ramp up and ramp down) and, in some cases, shut down, has induced damaging stresses to the components of the machines.”

“These instructions, reflective of the grid behaviour, are subjecting key electrical components of the power plants to operational stresses. Our available generation has always been steady between 7,500MW and 8,000MW; you can check the records at the National Control Centre, Osogbo.”