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Grid loses 3,500mw as gas, frequency leave 36 turbines idle

By on July 5, 2017

The electricity grid lost 3,500 megawatts (mw) last Wednesday due to shortage of gas, transmission frequency issue and the inability of feeders across some Distribution Companies (DisCos) to take power.

The grid also dropped by 553mw last Sunday from the previous peak generation of 4,053mw record attained on Saturday, July 1, 2017, records have shown.

The daily power sector report of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) shows that power began dropping same Saturday as the lowest electricity generation was 2,638mw.

The peak generation later dropped to 3,510mw by Sunday, the report said.

Previous data for electricity generation, transmission and distribution of last Wednesday further showed that the month of June ended with a higher figure of idle generation capacity of 3,500mw occurring across 20 Generation Companies (GenCos).

The breakdown shows that at 10 of the GenCos, 1,926mw was not utilised due to shortage of gas.

Five power plants under the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) lost 882mw as seven of their turbines were idle last Wednesday. The plants are Geregu, Olorunsogo, Alaoji, Omotosho and Sapele.

The other plants comprising Egbin, Omotosho Gas, Olorunsogo Gas, Afam VI and Sapele GenCos lost 1,056mw from nine idle turbines caused by gas constraint.

The report said it was envisaged that with improved plant availability and relief from existing  power system network related constraints, additional 1,880mw per standard cubic feet (scf) of gas, which was equivalent to 7,050mw would be required when all thermal units of over 90 turbines were on bar.

Another challenge of line constraint resulted in the loss of 444mw across four GenCos: Ibom Power, Gbarain, Omotosho Gas, and Omotosho NIPP lost the power capacity as 11 turbines were affected.

The loss of the DisCos feeder resurfaced, yet causing a loss of 890mw. Six power plants comprising Omotosho NIPP, Delta, Ihovbor NIPP, Odukpani NIPP, Olorunsogo NIPP and Geregu Gas lost nine turbines to this constraint.

To guarantee stability in the power system and foreclose any issue of system collapse, operators often make provision for spinning reserve. That of last Wednesday was pegged at 295mw with a transmission frequency of 50 Hertz.

Six of the GenCos were contracted for the spinning reserve but could not deliver. Egbin Power was to give the highest contribution of 100mw; Delta Power was contracted by the System Operator of TCN to reserve 40mw, Olorunsogo NIPP should have reserved 40mw, Geregu NIPP 35mw, and Omotosho NIPP 40mw, using their 15 turbines in all.

 

[Daily Trust]