Blackouts: Current Situation Unsustainable, Plans Underway to Pay Gencos, Says FG

*Blames gas constraints for fall in power supply

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The federal government yesterday acknowledged the drop in Nigeria’s total electricity generation from an average of 4,500mw to just over 3,000 in recent weeks, stressing that it was doing everything to resolve the issues.

A statement in Abuja by Bolaji Tunji, the Special Adviser, Strategic Communication and Media Relations to the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, quoted him as saying that efforts were being made to offset outstanding payments to the Generation Companies (Gencos).

According to the statement, the blackouts being experienced in the country are attributable to low supply of gas to power generating companies.

The situation, it said, has adversely affected production leading to blackouts in some parts of the country.

“In the past couple of weeks, there has been a significant downturn in the level of power supply to Nigerians. This is mainly due to a decreased level of gas supply to generation companies.

“This situation has led to a lower level of energy supplied to load centres, which has affected supply of electricity to distribution companies,” the minister stressed.

The statement revealed that the federal government was looking into ensuring that outstanding payments are made to power generation  companies to resolve the problem.

“Efforts are on the way by the federal government to ensure outstanding payments are made to generation companies, to ensure improved gas supply and increased power generation.

“ This will also enable distribution companies to supply more electricity to Nigerians. We acknowledge the current unsustainable situation, and we expect a turnaround immediately,” the minister added.

Meanwhile, the minister has called for collaboration between the states and the federal government, especially in the provision of power infrastructure to provide regular electricity supply to businesses and households in the country.

Speaking when the Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, visited him in Abuja, Adelabu said that the federal government was embarking on significant expansion projects on the transmission network to increase electricity supply to load centres.

“These grid projects will strengthen the transmission network and create alternative transmission corridors to avoid grid collapse,” he said.

The minister said the provision of regular electricity in the country could be further strengthened with collaboration between states and the ministry.

He expressed the view that the Electricity Act of 2023 had made provision for subnational governments to participate in the electricity market, saying he looks forward to creating an enabling environment for states’ participation in the sector.

“By investing in transformers and electricity poles which is about grid extension, the governor has further confirmed our approach that the state needs to be involved in the provision of power infrastructure.

“We have further indicated to distribution companies that end-users must not be required to purchase equipment for the delivery of electricity. This infrastructure must be provided by the distribution companies while there will be interventions from federal and state governments.

“Agencies such as the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) will also intervene in electrifying communities that are not commercially viable for the distribution companies,” Adelabu said.

He urged the governor to look at the provision of security to protect power infrastructure in the state and particularly referred to the destruction of power towers recently in the North-east zone, which led to the death of a security personnel and disruption of electricity to some states in the zones.

  “Although we immediately commenced the repair, it is quite discouraging when government spends so much and these assets are vandalised,” he stated.

In his remarks, Zulum said that his administration had spent over N500 million in the purchase of transformers for different communities in the state, stressing that the visit was to explore more opportunities of working together with the ministry of power.