TCN: Power Supply Down to 1,087.6MW, Load Shedding Inevitable

* Says six power plants shutdown because of shortage in gas supply

Chineme Okafor in Abuja

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Sunday disclosed that the total volume of electricity generated and distributed across homes and offices in Nigeria has gone down to 1,087.6 megawatts (MW). It however said Nigeria was not in total darkness.

It said in a statement from its General Manager, Public Affairs, Mrs. Ndidi Mbah, in Abuja that six power plants which generate electricity with gas were shut down because gas supplies to them were cut off.

According to Mbah, the affected power stations were Ihovbor, Azura, Omotosho, Geregu, Olorunsogo, and Sapele. Gas supplies to all of them, she said, were affected by a rupture on the gas pipeline of the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC).

She also said technical issues experienced by Shell at its gas well has affected supply of gas to its Afam VI power plant, adding that Egbin power plant has also generated just about 60MW of electricity on account of this.

Mbah did not disclose how much of generation volume the country lost, but going by the last generation output THISDAY obtained from the Advisory Power Team in the office of the Vice-President, the country last generated 3,827MW on June 14, while the NGC reported the rupture on its line on June 15 – a day after, and Shell’s technical issues occurred on June 16.

Based on the drop in generation, Mbah stated that it was inevitable that the TCN managed the country’s transmission system by shedding electricity loads to electricity distribution companies (Discos) to avoid its complete collapse.

“The Transmission Company of Nigeria hereby state that as a result of gas pipeline rupture as reported by NGC on the 15th of June, 2018, as well as technical issues at the Shell gas wells on the 16th of June, there has been a sharp drop in generation into the grid by a total of 1,087.6MW, resulting in load-shedding nationwide, necessary to maintain stability of the grid,” Mbah, said in the statement.

Continuing, she explained: “Due to the NGC pipeline incident, six thermal power generating stations are currently unable to generate electricity and have therefore been shut down. The affected power stations include the Ihovbor, Azura, Omotosho gas, Geregu gas, Olorunsogo gas, Sapele and the Egbin power station which has managed to generate 60MW only on each of its units, losing a total of 211MW.

“Also, Afam VI power station was shut down so that Shell oil company can resolve its gas well issues to enable it commence gas supply to Afam VI power station.”

She stated that: “With a total loss of 1,087.6MW into the grid, the transmission system has become quite fragile and TCN is working hard to avert a collapse of the system, by engaging in load-shedding.”

Load-shedding, Mbah explained, was done to ensure that available generation remained commensurate with what is allocated to the Discos nationwide, to create a balance and avert grid instability.

She further said in the statement that the NGC was making efforts to ensure that the gas pipeline issues were resolved to restore normal gas supply to the affected power generating stations, and enable them generate more power into the grid.

The general manager also stated that Shell had resolved its gas well issue Sunday morning and gas supply partially restored to Afam VI, adding: “There has been no collapse of the grid as reported in the news.”

She thus appealed for understanding and assured Nigerians that TCN’s engineers were working hard to continue to maintain the stability of the grid, pending the completion of repairs of the gas pipeline by NGC and restoration of full gas supply to the affected generating stations.