Nigeria’s grid-connected power plants continued to operate below their installed capacities in September, with just 5,200 megawatts (MW) of electricity available out of a total 13,625MW installed, representing a Plant Availability Factor (PAF) of 38 per cent, according to the latest operational performance factsheet released by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
The report, however, painted a picture of persistent imbalance in the country’s generation mix, where a limited number of plants continue to shoulder most of the grid’s energy supply despite marginal improvements in overall capacity.
NERC’s data showed a six per cent month-on-month increase in available generation compared to August, yet the system remained largely constrained by low plant availability and uneven operational performance across the generation fleet.
According to the factsheet, average hourly generation during the month stood at 4,091 megawatt-hours (MWh/h), indicating 78 per cent utilisation of the available capacity. This suggests that while plants were able to dispatch most of the power made available, the total supply remains limited by the small portion of the generation infrastructure in active operation.
“The grid-connected plants recorded a PAF of 38 per cent. At any point during the month, an average of 5,200MW was available for dispatch onto the grid. The average hourly generation during the month was 4,091MWh/h, indicating that only 78 per cent of available generation capacity was utilized,” the commission stated.
NERC data further revealed that 10 major power plants were responsible for 81 per cent of the total energy supplied to the grid during the period. The top contributors include Zungeru, Egbin, Kainji, Jebba, Delta, Shiroro, Ihovbor, Okpai, Geregu, and Afam plants, which collectively maintained the bulk of supply to the national grid. Among them, Zungeru led in capacity utilisation, while Egbin and Kainji recorded high load factors of 90 and 91 per cent, respectively.
On the other hand, several power stations operated well below potential. Olorunsogo, Sapele Steam, and Omotosho 2 were among those with the lowest plant availability, with the latter and Alaoji plants recording no generation output throughout the month. These disparities underscored the uneven operational landscape across Nigeria’s grid-connected generation plants.
The report also pointed to ongoing grid parameter violations that highlighted the fragile state of the national transmission system.
Grid voltage levels during the month averaged between 304.63 kilovolts (kV) and 347.80kV outside the prescribed operational limits, while system frequency fluctuated between 49.26 hertz (Hz) and 50.84Hz. The grid frequency remained within the acceptable range only 48.19 per cent of the time, reflecting continued instability in the power system.
Although no major grid collapse was recorded during the period under review, such fluctuations often expose the grid to risk of disruption and raise concerns over equipment protection and operational safety.
NERC’s data also reaffirmed that the sector continued to struggle with structural imbalances, where a few well-performing plants sustain national supply while several others remain underperforming or idle. This concentration of generation capacity in a small number of plants limits flexibility, raises reliability risks, and underscores the urgent need for improved plant maintenance and stronger grid management.
Despite these challenges, the modest improvement in available generation capacity indicates that some progress is being made toward stabilising output levels, even as the country continues to operate far below its installed potential.
