The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says the abysmal
power supply experienced nationwide is due to low power generation by the
generation companies (GenCos).
Ndidi Mbah, general manager, public affairs, TCN, said this
in a statement made available on Tuesday.
Mbah said all generating companies are performing below
capacity, and TCN can only transmit the quantum of power generated.
“The Transmission Company of Nigeria wishes to notify consumers of electricity that the current load shedding being experienced nationwide is as a result of very low power generation by the Generation Companies (GENCOs) for TCN to wheel through the transmission grid to distribution companies nationwide,” he said.
“Presently, the cumulative generation nationwide is low and
generation companies have attributed this to several factors including poor gas
supply, fault in generating units of generating companies, scheduled and
unscheduled maintenance, all of which have caused most power generating
companies to limit their generation, and sometimes not generate at all.
“A summary of the power generating profiles in the last two
months shows that 14 gas-powered generating stations were either not generating
at all or had limited generation at various times within the period, further
depleting the quantum of power generation available for transmission into the
grid daily.”
Mbah said some of the power generating stations in this
category include Omotosho units five and six, Olorunsogo units three, four and
six, Omoku units three and six, Omotosho NIPP units three and four, Delta units
15, 17, and 18, Afam VI units 11 and 12, Olorunsogo NIPP unit three, Ihovbor
NIPP unit two, Sapele Steam unit three, Sapele NIPP unit one, Odukpani NIPP
units one and three, and Okpai units 11, 12 and 18.
He also explained that within the same period, Jebba Hydro
and Shiroro power generating stations were either out or had limited
generation, causing additional loss of 232MW from the grid.
He added that other power generating plants such as Omotosho
units three and four, Olorunsogo units one, Delta units 10 and 20, Afam VI unit
13, Ihovbor NIPP units four, Geregu NIPP units 22 and 23 and Odukpani NIPP
units two, four and five, have also been out either on fault or for scheduled
maintenance, causing a further loss of about 3,180MW from the grid.
“A combination of the above scenarios have persisted and the
total effect on the grid is the persistent low generation, which TCN Operators
have had to strive to dispatch in a way that will not jeopardise the stability
of the grid,” Mbah said.
The TCN manager said there was also a generation shortfall
due to water management in Shiroro and Jebba hydro resulting in the loss of
307MW and 125MW respectively from both stations from March 1 to 4, 2022.
“Within the same period, there were fault and technical
problems in Egbin, causing 514MW shortfall and in Geregu causing 230MW
shortfall, while reported fault at Alaoji NIPP reduced generation from the
substation by 263MW,” he added.
“Gas constraint alone in Olorunsogo gas generating plant
reduced generation from the station by 104MW, in the same vein, Omotosho gas
lost 102MW, and Sapele NIPP lost 263MW. In Omotosho NIPP, there was a
generation shortfall of 233MW, and in Omoku, a shortfall of 112MW. Two units in
Okpai have limited generation due to technical problems causing a 204MW drop in
generation and Afam VI 511MW drop in the generation.”
He noted that gas constraint and fault in Olorunsogo NIPP
reduced generation by 240MW, Geregu NIPP by 435MW, and Ihovbor by 142MW, adding
that Odukpani NIPP was shut down due to gas pipeline pigging which caused a
reduction of generation by 575MW.
“TCN further reiterates that a combination of issues ranging
from gas constraints, fault, and technical problems within generating plants
caused persistent low generation and consequently low load allocation to
Distribution Companies nationwide. This is based on the fact that TCN can only
transmit what is being generated by GenCos and presently they are all
generating below capacity,” he added.
“It is important to note that except cumulative power
generation increases considerably for TCN to transmit to distribution companies
nationwide, TCN will be left with no choice than to continue to load shed.
“We will however continue to work hard to ensure the
efficient allocation of the total load generated by the power generating
stations into the grid, bearing in mind the need to ensure that the national
grid is stable in spite of the challenges posed by the insufficient load on the
transmission grid.”
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