Power supply improves slightly, as generation hits 3,528 megawatts

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says that the nation’s power generation improved slightly to 3,528.90 megawatts on Feb. 1 from 2,662 megawatts on Jan. 22.

This figure was disclosed on the website of the Nigerian Electricity System Operator (SO), a sub-agency of the TCN, in its daily forecast on power generation in Lagos on Wednesday.

“The slight increase in generation is due to slightly increased gas supply to some Generating Companies (GENCOs) to boost operations."

“The total output of 3,528.90 megawatts from all the GENCOs on Wednesday has been transferred to the 11 distribution companies across the country,’’ the TCN sub-agency website said.

NAN reports that the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) operational report said the power sector dropped to 2,662.20 megawatt on Jan. 22 because of low water levels and challenge of accessing gas by GENCOs.

The report said the sector recorded highest system frequency of 51.50Hz and lowest system frequency of 48.80 Hz, while the highest and the lowest voltage recorded on Wednesday were 372KV and 300KV, respectively.

A reliable TCN official, who preferred anonymity, confirmed to NAN that the gas supply to generating companies had increased slightly, thereby, boosting operations.

The source said that the GENCOs inability to pay up the debts they owed the gas company also contributed to the drop in power generation on Jan. 22.

“Government’s intervention helped the gas company to allocate some gas to generating companies.’’

Another top official of Egbin Power Station, who also preferred to remain anonymous, said due to the slight increase in gas supply, the station now generates 400 megawatts as against the previous 150 megawatts.

The station, however, has a capacity to generate 1, 320 megawatts.

The official appealed for more gas supply to the station, so that it could fire all its five units.

According to the official, the GENCOs were equally being owed a huge amount of money by the Federal Government, which posed serious challenge to their operations.

“Gas to Power should not be politicised. Government should take issues of power very serious and find lasting solution to the lingering issues."

“The 400 megawatts Egbin generated was wheeled out to the national grid at 6.00 am on Wednesday,’’ he said.