Despite Increase in Electricity Tariff, FG Shuts Down 13 Power Plants

…As Total Power Generation Falls to 3500mw

…Full list of dormant and partially functioning power plants in Nigeria

BY OBUTE JAMES

Despite recent increase in electricity tariff, the number of the Nigerian’s power plants that are dormant rose to 13 as of Sunday 6th September, 2020 bringing down the total power generation in the country to about 3,242.4mw.
Report on power supply in February this year indicated that Nigeria has 30 power generating plants with installed capacity to generate 13,000mw of electricity which is however, less than the 40,000 megawatts needed to sustain the basic needs of the population.
But in a dramatic way, less than 4000mv is being distributed across the nation.
DESERT HERALD reports that every government that had existed in the recent times spent a lot of fund on the power sector but usually blamed the inefficiency in electricity supply on one thing or the other.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC had recently increased electricity tariff by over 100% triggering protests and strike across the nation.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission as the industry’s regulator, is responsible for monitoring the performance of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
The power generation in the country dropped on 6th September as four more power plants were shut down within two days.
Data obtained by DESERT HERALD from the Nigerian Electricity System Operator on 6th September showed that 13 out of the 27 power plants on the national grid were not generating any megawatts of electricity.
All the eight power plants built under the National Integrated Power Project were idle as of 6am on Sunday 6th September.
As of 6am on Friday 4th September, 2020 nine plants were shut down but they were joined by Geregu II, Sapele II and Alaoji on Saturday as well as Afam IV & V on Sunday 6th September.
The other idle plants were Olorunsogo II, Omotosho, Odukpani, Ihovbor, Gbarain, Ibom Power, AES, ASCO and Trans-Amadi IPP.
The shutdown of the power plants was being attributed to gas constraint, low load demand by the distribution companies, maintenance, frequency response and rupturing of gas pipeline, among others.
Total power generation in the country fell to 3,242.4mw as of 6am on Sunday from 3,296.5MW on Saturday and 3,549.6MW on Friday.
A total of 4,036.5MW of generation capacity was unused as 15 plants suffered gas constraints (2,618MW) while 13 plants could not generate 1,418.5MW due to low load demand by the Discos, according to the system operator.
Egbin, the nation’s biggest power plant, located in Lagos, only generated 390MW as of 6am on Sunday, compared to its installed capacity of over 1,000MW.
According to the Transmission Company of Nigeria, the Discos failed to distribute 8,733.39MW in the week ended August 30.
Here are the 30 power plants in Nigeria with installed capacity to generate 13,000 MW yet the power supply by DISCOs is about 3,242mw.
Kainji Power Station, Niger, Hydro 800MW
Jebba Power Station, Niger, Hydro 540MW
Kano Power Station, Kano, Hydro 100MW
Dadin Kowa Power Station, Gombe Hydro 40 MW
Azura Power Station, Edo State Gas turbine 450MW
Itobe Power Station, Kogi: Circulating Fluidized bed technology, 1200MW
Sapele Power Station(1)Delta state, gas fired steam turbine, 1020 MW
Sapele Power Station (2)Delta state, NIPP, simple cycle gas turbine, 450 MW
Transcorp Ughelli Power Station, Delta state, 900 MW, simple cycle gas turbine
Ibom Power Station, Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom, combined cycle gas turbine, 191 MW
Omotosho Power Station(1), Ondo state, simple gas turbine, 336MW
Omotosho Power Sration(2) Ondo State, simple gas turbine, 450 MW
Omoku Power Station 1, Rivers state, simple cycle gas turbine, 150MW
Omoku Power Station 2, Rivers State, simple cycle gas turbine, 225MW
Olorunsogo Power Station(1) Oyo State, simple cycle gas turbine, 336MW
Olorunsogo Power Station(2)Oyo State, combined cycle gas turbine, 675MW
Okpai Power Station, Delta state, combined cycle gas turbine, 480MW
.Kudenda Power Plant, Kaduna, Thermal gas, 215 MW
Egbema Power Station, Imo State, Simple cycle gas turbine, 338MW
Egbin Power Station, Lagos State, gas fired steam turbine, 1320 MW
.Geregu Power Station(1), Kogi state, simple cycle gas turbine, 414MW
.Geregu Power Station(2)Kogi state, simple cycle steam turbine, 434MW
Ibom Power Station, Akwa Ibom, simple cycle gas turbine, 190MW
Ihovbor Power Station, Edo State, simple cycle gas turbine, 450MW
Aes Barge Power Station, Lagos, simple cycle gas turbine, 270MW
Aba Power Station, Abia State, simple cycle gass turbine, 140MW
Afam Power Station(1V-V) Rivers state, combined cycle gas turbine, 726 MW
Afam Power Station(VI), Rivers State, combine cycle gas turbine, 624MW
Alaoji Power Station(NIPP), Abia state, combined cycle gas turbine, 1074MW
Calabar Power Station (NIPP), Cross River, simple cycle gas turbine, 561 MW
The TCN’s data on national grid performance from August 24 to 30 which was released on Saturday 5th September, 2020 showed that the electricity distributed by the Discos during the week averaged 3,419.78MW.
The amount of electricity left unused by the power firms stood at 1,281.89MW on August 24 but fell to 1,067MW on August 25.
The Discos did not distribute 1,084.95MW on August 26, and 1,005.55MW on August 27.
The amount of unused electricity stood at 1,208.31MW on August 28 but rose to 1,457.21MW on August 29 and 1,628.48MW on August 30.
The system operator put the national peak demand forecast at 28,290MW; installed generation capacity at 12,910.40MW; available capacity at 7,652.60MW; transmission wheeling capacity at 8,100MW; and peak generation at 5,420.30MW.
The TCN, which manages the national grid, is still fully owned and operated by the government.
The distribution and generation companies carved out of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria were handed over to private investors on November 1, 2013, following the privatisation of the power sector.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, in its report on power supply status on all 132/33/11kV interface substation in August, warned Discos against load rejection.
It said, “Discos should be cautioned on deliberate refusal to clear faults on some 33kV feeders within the timeline of eight hours as stipulated in the Reporting Compliance Regulations.
“Discos should also be cautioned against deliberate isolation of some sections of 33kV feeders to limit the loading of the feeders and denying customers electricity services.”
NERC said it identified all the interface stations with capacity limitations and requested the Transmission Company of Nigeria to prioritise them in its short-term projects.
The nation generates most of its electricity from gas-fired power plants, while output from hydropower plants makes up about 30 per cent of the total generation.
While some of the trade unions, civil society organizations and students have commenced protests over the recent increase of fuel pump price and electricity tariff the government of the day is showing no sign of addressing their demands.