Nigerians will face blackout for 10 days due to the shortage of gas in 16 power generating plants causing power generation at its highest point to drop to 3,675 megawatts (MW) on Saturday.
In a statement released on Saturday by the spokesman of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mrs Ndidi Mbah, saying “the nation’s power sector is experiencing power supply shortage caused by low gas supply which has restrained the ability of many thermal power stations to generate optimally.”
He said the drop in power supply will continue for another 10 days until scheduled maintenance is completed on the gas pipelines.
He said a section of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) puts peak generation at 4,055MW on Friday but dropped to 3,236MW at the close of that day.
By Saturday, the peak generation had dropped to 3,675MW causing a loss of 380MW early Saturday.
It said four Generation Companies (GenCos) generated zero megawatts (MW) on Friday due the cut in gas supply.
The GenCos are Sapele NIPP, Olorunsogo NIPP, Ihovbor NIPP and Azura Edo power plants.
Twelve other GenCos were affected but generated at lower capacities. They include Egbin, Sapele, Delta (gas), Geregu, Omotosho, Olorunsogo, Geregu NIPP, Alaoji NIPP, Omotosho NIPP, Odukpani NIPP, Okpai and Omoku GenCos.
TCN said the gas constraint has caused significant reduction in the quantum of power transmitted to the various Distribution Companies (DisCos) for supply to electricity consumers.
The power evacuation firm said it however discussed with the management of some of the affected GenCos who blamed the gas shortage to the maintenance of gas pipelines by the suppliers which is expected to last for 10 days.
