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Gas shortage denies Nigerians 1,852MW of electricity

By on July 21, 2014

Over 1,852 megawatts of electricity is currently off the national grid as a result of gas supply shortage and other constraints.

This challenge, according to findings by our correspondent, is affecting the National Integrated Power Projects as well as the country’s legacy power generating assets.

A recent power system operational report by the Transmission Company of Nigeria, made available to our correspondent on Friday, showed that unutilised generation capacity of Omotosho NIPP GT13 and 4; Ihovbor GT4; Oorunsogo Gas GT1-4, 7 and 8; Omotosho Gas GT1, 5-8; AES barge 202, 204 and 207-211; Geregu NIPP GT21-23; and Geregu Gas GT11 and 12, were 240.8MW; 50.6MW; 93.7MW; 89.1MW; 181.8MW; 325MW; and 136MW, respectively.

In the same vein, Egbin ST1-5; Sapele NIPP GT3 and 4; Sapele ST2; Olorunsogo NIPP GT2 and 3; Delta GT4, 8, 10-12, 16, 17 and 20 had shortfalls of 607MW; 107.5MW; 22MW; -1.4MW; and 74MW, respectively.

No loss of power is experienced due to high system frequency, according to the report.

From the report, 52MW was lost due to line limitation.

Aside from the gas-powered plants that are currently down, low water level is said to be affecting power generation following partial shutdown of Shiroro and Jebba hydro stations.

The country is losing about 330 megawatt to this constraint, according to the latest generation figure of the TCN.

The stations are currently performing below optimal levels as a result of low water levels.

Two units of Jebba hydro power plant – 2G1 and 2G2 – are said to be losing a total of 180MW, while one unit of Shiroro hydro power plant – 411G4 – is reportedly losing about 150MW.

The Special Adviser to the Minister of Power on Power Systems, Mr. Jonathan Ogbonna, had confirmed to our correspondent on the telephone that the country was currently not getting the maximum output from its hydro power plants as a result of low water levels.

He said, “Jebba has five machines, but only three are running because of low water levels. Shiroro has three machines, but they currently run two at peak; but there would be shutdown due to low water level.”

The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, in a statement signed by its Media Manager, Mr. Precious Okolobo, had confirmed the shutdown of one of the units of Afam VI power plant, a gas-fired plant.

It said, “One of the three gas turbines at the SPDC Joint Venture’s Afam VI power plant was shut down on July 1, 2014 for scheduled maintenance by the equipment manufacturer. This is a mandatory maintenance activity.

“The power plant is currently producing 416MW of electricity into the national grid, against its usual production of 650MW.

“The SPDC JV regrets the shortfall in power supply and is liaising with the manufacturer to ensure that the work is executed as quickly as possible.”

Aside from the generation arm of the power sector, another area currently facing a huge challenge is the transmission.

To this end, the Federal Government has provided the sum of $300m to the Transmission Company of Nigeria from the $1bn euro bond to improve the state of power infrastructure.

The Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprises, Mr. Benjamin Dikki, confirmed this during a post-monitoring exercise to Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company in Lagos.

According to him, the funds had been channelled to the TCN to complement other loans from the African Development Bank.

He said, “All the money they have is sufficient to complete the rehabilitation, but all they need now is to use the funds provided to them for effective projects rehabilitation before providing additional funds.

“The TCN has advertised some of the rehabilitation projects to ensure effective evacuation of energy to distributions companies.”

 

 

[Punch]