Incremental Power Supply Suffers Setback, Constraints Cost Sector Over N155.6 Billion  Losses

Minister Of Power, Works &Housing, Fashola

By CLEMENT NWOJI, Abuja

The strive for incremental power supply nationwide is currently facing intense hiccups as the power sector has lost over N155.6 billion between January 1 and May, 2018 due to unresolved constraints.

The constraints include insufficient gas supplies, lack of power distribution infrastructure, inadequate transmission infrastructure and insufficient water supplies, among other unnamed setbacks.

Consequently, power generation, transmission and distribution have been dwindling, resulting to pronounced blackouts and epileptic power supplies in many locations throughout the country.

Investigations by OPTIMUM TIMES showed that the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja which is the seat of the nation’s power and Lagos state, the nation’s commercial never centre are not spared from the growing unreliable power supplies as private power generation sets constitute the main source of electricity.

Daily revenue losses in the power sector range between N1 billion to as much N2 billion, while the peak of power generation has decreased to as low as 4,389 MW as at May 5, 2018 as against peak generation of 5,222 MW achieved on 18 December, 2017.

Statistics obtained by OPTIMUM TIMES on power sector service delivery from the Vice President’s Office in Abuja, showed that average power sent out was 3,382MWh/hour (down by 86.37MWh/h from the previous day) as at May 6, 2018.

While 1,978MW was not generated due to unavailability of gas, 190MW was not generated due to unavailability of transmission infrastructure. Also 1,225.4MW was not generated due to high frequency resulting from unavailability of distribution infrastructure.

On the whole, the power sector lost an estimated N1,629,000,000 on May 6, 2018 due to insufficient gas supply, distribution infrastructure and transmission infrastructure.

According to the documents, “The dominant constraint on May 6 2018 was from unavailability of gas – constraining a total of 1,978MW from being available on the grid.

The Peak Generation for May 5, 2018 – 4,389MW,  Peak Generation to date – 5,222MW (18 December 2017) and the estimated amount lost to Insufficient Gas Supply, Distribution, Transmission & Water Reserves to date in 2018, amounted to N155,615,000,000.

Further analysis of the service delivery showed that on May 5, 2018, average power sent out was 3,468MWh/hour (down by 114.33MWh/h from the previous day),
1,740MW was not generated due to unavailability of gas, 90MW was not generated due to unavailability of transmission infrastructure, while 1,871.5 MW was not generated due to high frequency resulting from unavailability of distribution infrastructure. Also, 95MW was not generated due to water management

The power sector lost an estimated N1,870,000,000 on May 5, 2018 due to insufficient gas supply, distribution infrastructure, transmission infrastructure and water reserves.

It revealed that the dominant constraint on May 5, 2018 was from unavailability of transmission infrastructure, constraining a total of 1,871MW from being available on the grid while the peak Generation for May 5, 2018  was 4,207.6MW

Similarly in May 4, 2018, the service delivery statistics showed that average power sent out was 3,582MWh/hour (up by 180.38MWh/h from the previous day).

However, 1,612MW was not generated due to unavailability of gas, 40MW was not generated due to unavailability of transmission infrastructure, 1,218MW was not generated due to high frequency resulting from unavailability of distribution infrastructure and 95MW was not generated due to water management constraint.

Further, the power sector lost an estimated N1,423,000,000 on May 4, 2018 due to insufficient gas supply, distribution infrastructure, transmission infrastructure and water reserves.

The dominant constraint on May 4, 2018 was from unavailability of gas, constraining a total of 1,612MW from being available on the grid, while the peak generation for May 4, 2018 was 4,655MW as against the peak generation of 5,222MW recorded on 18 December, 2017.