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Power generation drops by 488.7MW

By on February 16, 2016

After attaining a peak of 5,074.7 megawatts on February 2, 2016, power generation in the country has lost 488.7MW within six days, dropping to 4,586MW on February 8.

Similarly, energy generation fell by 774.04MW in the same period to 4,300.66MW, resulting in a reduction in the amount of energy sent out to electricity consumers, which was put at 4,212.32MW.

Figures from the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing showed that the country’s peak power demand was still 12,800MW.

Officials at the ministry told our correspondent on Sunday that issues around gas pipeline rupturing by vandals as well as oil theft had often led to a plunge in electricity generation.

They, however, noted that the Federal Government was working tirelessly to address the problem.

The recent 488.7MW fall in electricity generation came after the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, had promised that the country would increase its power production by 2,000MW before the end of this year.

He stated that given the various plans undertaken by the present administration in the sector, power generation would increase by 2,000MW in the last quarter of 2016.

Fashola stated that a lot had changed in the management of power in Nigeria in recent times.

“Distribution of power is no longer a government business but has been taken over by private companies. Also, government has privatised power generation, which has steered towards the full privatisation of the sector with transmission aspect being managed by Manitoba International of Canada,” he had said.

The Managing Director, System Operation/Market Operation, Transmission Company of Nigeria, Dipak Sarma, had attributed the recent achievements in electricity generation to the enhanced cooperation among all stakeholders and concerted efforts by the system operators at the National Control Centre and other stations to ensure that generated electricity was wheeled to the distribution companies and that there was no stranded power.

The System Operator had stated that the attainment of the record peak generation of 5,074.7MW was achieved alongside the maximum daily energy of 109,372MW per hour, which was wheeled nationwide.
[Punch]