At
least seven power plants in the country are currently not producing
electricity as a result of gas shortage, multiple faults as well as
ongoing maintenance and rehabilitation works.
As of Tuesday, two hydro, three National
Integrated Power Projects and two Independent Power Project stations
were down with zero contribution to the national grid, thereby worsening
electricity supply across the country.
Information obtained by our correspondent
from the National Control Centre, Osogbo, Osun State, and the
Transmission Company of Nigeria on Tuesday indicated that the Kainji and
Shiroro Hydro Power plants were currently down.
Though the Kainji plant has an installed
capacity of 760 megawatts and an available capacity of 100MW, it is
currently shut as a result of multiple faults affecting eight of its
units.
According to the NCC, varying degrees of
rehabilitation and faults are responsible for the shutdown of Kanji’s
1G5, 1G7, 1G8, 1G9 and 1G10 units.
“The 1G6 unit was already out for
rehabilitation since December 6, 2013 and is expected back on December
31, 2014. The 1G11 unit of the plant was shut down on emergency due to
abnormal noise in the unit, while the 1G12 unit is out for
rehabilitation,” the NCC said.
Similarly, the 600MW Shiroro hydro plant is out due to ongoing repairs and overhaul that is expected to end today (Wednesday).
Specifically, the NCC also said the 500MW
Olorunsogo NIPP plant was similarly out due to gas constraints and
maintenance routine after a commissioning test.
The power supply situation in the country
has gone from bad to worse since the former Power Holding Company of
Nigeria’s assets were handed over to private investors.
Gas shortage has been the major cause of epileptic electricity supply in the country.
For instance, the country’s unutilised generation capability as of 6am on Monday, January 27, 2014 was put at 3,198.9MW.
The peak generation, according to the Presidential Task Force on Power, stood at 3,212.10MW on Sunday, January 25, 2014.
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