Four months after the Federal Government approved a new performance-based electricity tariff increase that wiped off N500 billion annual subsidies in the sector, poor power generation has left most parts of the country with grid electricity supply.
Checks showed that at 2.00pm, generation to the national grid had dropped by 40.08 Megawatts compared to the 3,246.5MW average generation recorded the previous day.Egbin Power, Nigeria largest electricity generation plant, with 970MW was completely of the grid. The performance-based hike, which was implemented by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, was expected to reward the operators of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, NESI, for improved performance. But four months into the implementation of the new Multi-Year Tariff Order, MYTO, while customers have continued to pay the new rate, power supply has not shown any sign of improvement. The situation has led to massive load shedding across the country with electricity distribution companies (DisCos) blaming the power generation companies and the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, for it. Checks on load allocation data showed that the 11 distribution companies were allocated just 2,595.38MW for distribution yesterday.
The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, in a notice to customers lamented that it received just 228.63MW of power from TCN rather than the general allocation of 650MW. It said: “We are aware that the instability of the electricity supply has persisted. This is still due to the reduced load allocation to our franchise area. AEDC’s allocation is currently 228.60MW which is significantly lower than the average allocation of 650MW during optimal generation period.
“We wish to assure our customers that the allocation we receive will be equitably distributed while all stakeholders relentlessly work towards a lasting solution”, AEDC informed its customers. On its part, the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) informed its customers that “work is still in progress to improve the intermittent power supply that is being experienced as a result of generation constraint. “Be rest assured that PHED, in conjunction with other stakeholders, are working to ensure supply is evenly distributed at this difficult period, and normalcy will be restored as soon as the generation constraint is rectified”.
Also the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (Kaduna Electric), in a statement by the Head, Corporate Communication, Abdulazeez Abdullahi at the weekend said: “We once again regret the inconvenience suffered by our esteemed customers in Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi States for the epileptic power supply lately.
“The supply situation from the national grid is still abysmally low hence the severe load shedding being experienced. We hope the situation will improve as soon as possible so that stable supply will resume”.
Reacting to the situation, the Minister of Power, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu attributed the low electricity supply to gas supply challenges. The Minister in a statement by his media aide, Malam Isa Sanusi explained that the “dip in electricity generation is as a result of the partial shutdown of the Oben gas plant to address the repair of critical gas processing equipment”.
The government noted that the “incident unfortunately occurred at a time when other power plants on other gas sources are undergoing planned maintenance and capacity testing.
“We wish to notify the public that Seplat Energy Plc has mobilized equipment, material and personnel to site with a view to expediting the restoration of normal gas supply to the affected power plants.
“We have been assured that the repair work will be concluded this weekend and normalcy will be restored. While pleading with electricity consumers with the current state of supply, we wish to assure the general public that efforts are being made for a sustained improvement of supply across the country”.
Speaking on the issue, the Chairman of Electricity Consumers Association of Nigeria (ECAN), Barr Chijioke James said overtime the government has failed to protect consumers from the extortionist nature of the power sector operators.
According to him, “NERC is always quick to grant the request of the operators for tariff increase but does not ensure that supply improves. As we speak, there is no difference between the quantity of electricity coming to the consumers today from what it was before the new tariff regime was implemented in February.
“Consumers have always been at the receiving end of Federal Government policies in the sector”, James added.
