Nigeria loses 2,648.7mw to gas, line constraints

By Oke Peter
The Nigeria’s power sector lost 2,648.7 megawatts (mw) on the October 29 to line and gas constraints, according to the daily electricity generation report by the Federal Ministry of Power Works and Housing.
The daily report, obtained by Energy Worth, put the utilized generation capability of Geregu Nigerian National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) Gas Turbine (GT)21 & 23 at 290mw; Paras Energy GT2, 9.2mw; Omotosho NIPP GT1 & 4, 240mw; Egbin ST4, 48mw; Delta GT15,16 & 19, 315mw; Olorunsogo NIPP GT1-3, 360mw; Olorunsogo Gas GT2, 3 & 6, 114mw; Afam VI GT12 & ST10, 350mw; Omotosho GT2, 5, 7 & 8, 152mw; and Ihovbor GT1, 112.5mw.
Others are Geregu Gas GT11 & 12, 45mw; Alaoji NIPP GT2, 120mw; Odukpani NIPP GT3, 117; Shiroro 411G1, 150; Sapele NIPP GT4, 112.5mw and Ihovbor GT3, 112.5mw.
The Ministry noted that it is envisaged with improved plant availability and relief from existing power system network related constraints, additional 1620.75mmscf
of gas (equivalent to 6077.8mw will be required when all thermal units are on bar.
Speaking at the weekend on efforts by the Federal Government to ensure incremental power in the country, The Minister of Power Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, explained that within the responsibility framework of the ERGP, the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing had drawn a roadmap for providing power for the country which, according to him, “is to start with getting incremental energy until we can stabilize; then we go to uninterrupted power”.
The Minister said while the Ministry of Petroleum Resources bears the responsibility for the Energy component of the ERGP, his Ministry was saddled with the responsibility of the production and supply of sufficient energy and power for the people of Nigeria, adding, “a process that potentially adds 540 megawatts to our power store fits very well with our incremental power roadmap”.
“Within our responsibility framework, we have drawn a roadmap for providing power for this country which is to start with getting incremental energy until we stabilize; then we go to uninterrupted power. That is our journey”, he said.
He added that the country’s roadmap is to get incremental power because we do not have enough, make that steady, because that is what consumers want, and aim toward uninterrupted power through conservation, elimination of waste and use of technology.
According to him, Nigeria are currently at the incremental power stage of our roadmap, and megawatts are useful to demarcate milestones by showing that we started at a base of 2,069 MW in May 2015, which has increased to 6,911 MW in September 2017.
He said: “We have also matched our intent with actions such as signing 14 solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPAs) with 14 Developers with the potential to deliver over 1,000 MW of solar power.
“We have resolved problems that stalled work at the Zungeru 700 MW hydro power plant with a new completion date of 2019 and we have also now awarded the 3050 MW Mambilla hydro power plant after over 40 years of its initial conception.”