FG Explains Supply Disruption As Power Generation Drops To 3,659MW

Electricity generation on Nigeria’s national grid dropped to 3,659 megawatts (MW) as of 3pm yesterday from a peak of 3,996MW recorded on Wednesday, amid worsening power supply across parts of the country.

The Federal Government, however, attributed the decline to gas supply constraints to thermal power plants, reduced water inflows into hydroelectric reservoirs and operational challenges within the power sector.

Data obtained from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) showed that the decline had affected electricity allocation to Distribution Companies (DisCos), resulting in shorter hours of supply and increased load shedding across distribution networks.

Data on the distribution load allocation dashboard as of 5:39pm yesterday showed that the 11 electricity distribution companies received a combined allocation of 3,031MW.

Abuja Disco received the highest allocation of 669MW, followed by Ibadan Disco with 413MW and Port Harcourt Disco with 338MW. Benin Disco received 279MW, Enugu 267MW, Eko 256MW, Ikeja 249MW, Kano 173MW, Kaduna 167MW, Jos 146MW, while Yola Disco received the lowest allocation of 74MW.

The Federal Ministry of Power, in a statement, yesterday, by the Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to the Minister of Power, Adeola Adelabu, acknowledged complaints by electricity consumers in Lagos, Abuja, Ogun, Kwara and Oyo states over worsening supply in recent days.

The Ministry noted that the affected areas had recently experienced noticeable improvements in electricity supply before the latest disruptions.

It, however, ruled out a major or systemic failure of the national grid, explaining that preliminary assessments linked the disruptions to maintenance and operational challenges in parts of the power value chain, alongside declining generation.

Acknowledging the impact of the disruptions on consumers, the Ministry said: “We recognise what every hour without power means for individuals, families and businesses, and we do not take it lightly.”

It added that the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, was working with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), NISO and electricity distribution companies to address the challenges and restore normal supply.

According to the Ministry, the Minister had engaged relevant operators to resolve the operational constraints, accelerate ongoing maintenance and keep the public informed about restoration efforts.

In a separate statement, NISO confirmed that limited gas availability had constrained the ability of affected thermal generating stations to operate at their available capacities, while reduced water inflows had affected hydroelectric generation.

The system operator stated: “The limited availability of gas has constrained the capacity of affected thermal generating stations to operate at their available levels, while reduced water inflows into reservoirs have impacted the generation capacity of hydroelectric power stations.”

NISO explained that the reduction in available generation had affected the volume of electricity allocated to DisCos for distribution to consumers, resulting in increased load shedding.

It added that the extent of the impact varied across distribution networks, depending on available generation and the corresponding allocations to individual DisCos.

Acknowledging the impact of the generation shortfall on consumers nationwide, NISO said it remained committed to maintaining grid stability and optimising the dispatch of available generation.

It stated: “NISO remains committed to maintaining grid stability, optimizing the dispatch of available generation, and ensuring the secure, reliable and efficient operation of the national grid within prevailing operational constraints.”

The system operator also disclosed that it was working towards diversifying the country’s energy mix to strengthen security of electricity supply.