Electricity situation worsen in 2018 Q1 ― NERC

NIGERIA Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), has identified acute shortage of gas, transmission and distribution facilities as reasons Nigeria lost 47 per cent of available electricity generation capacity in the first quarter of 2018.

In its first-quarter report for 2018 just released, NERC disclosed that available generation capacity rose by three per cent to 7,477MW relative to the last quarter of 2017.

“However, due to some factors… the increase in the available capacity did not translate into increase in output as total electricity generated during the first quarter of 2018 decreased by 2% from 8,705,606MWh recorded in the preceding quarter.

“The Figure shows that just 53% of the available capacity was utilised during the first quarter, a decrease of 1.4% from the capacity utilisation during the preceding quarter.

“This implies that approximately 47% of the available capacity was stranded during the first quarter of 2018 due to a combination of factors including inadequate gas supply, limitation in transmission and distribution networks, and water management.”

According the commission, there was a noticeable increase in gas constraint during the quarter under review relative to the last quarter of 2017.

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“Specifically, the generation capacity constraints due to gas supply increased from a daily average of 541MW during the fourth quarter of 2017 to 1,925.4MW in the first quarter of 2018.

“Gas shortage during the first quarter was exacerbated by a fire incident on the Escravos Lagos Pipeline of the Nigerian Gas Processing and Transportation Company (NGC) Limited which affected six thermal power plants, including Egbin, Omotosho and Olorunsogo plants, among others.

Also, during the quarter, some GENCOs including Geregu experienced high quantity of condensate in the pipeline, limiting the quantity of usable gas supplied to them.