‘Power sector loses N1.287b daily’

The Nigerian power sector said it lost approximately N1.287 billion on Saturday due to insufficient gas supply, distribution and transmission infrastructure.On the same day, average energy sent out was 4,157 megawatts/hour, which was down by 89.19MW from the previous day.

This was contained in the Nigerian power sector daily data obtained by our correspondent at the weekend.According to the information, a total of 1,373MW was not generated due to unavailability of gas, while nil megawatts was generated due to unavailability of transmission infrastructure.

Also, 1,308MW was not generated due to high frequency resulting from unavailability of distribution infrastructure.Nil MW was also recorded as losses due to water management, the data showed.

“The power sector lost an estimated N1, 287,000,000 on November 17, 2018 due to insufficient gas supply, distribution infrastructure and transmission infrastructure,” the report explained.

The data read in parts: “The dominant constraint on November 17, 2018 was due to unavailability of gas; constraining a total of 1,373MW from being available on the grid.

“Peak generation attained on November 17, 2018 is 5,068MW; peak average energy sent out ever is 4,557MW (February 2, 2016); and peak generation attained ever is 5,222MW, December 18, 2017).

The report added: “Estimated amount lost to insufficient gas supply, distribution, transmission and water reserves to date in 2018 is N471.766bn.”

The ministry had last month put a new projection for power generation nationwide at 9000 Mega Watts (MW), effective first quarter of 2020. Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, had expressed this optimism at the Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce meeting in Lagos.

He explained that power generation had steadily risen by 1000MW average per year, since 2015 till date. Fashola, who addressed businessmen, politicians and technocrats, scored the sector high in the last three years against the backdrop of current 7000MW with more prospects of additions to the grid ahead of the 2020 projection.

He said though the challenges are still enormous, the task of achieving stable power supply nationwide is achievable, with more hard work and support from stakeholders, especially the private sector.On prospects, the minister promised that before the end of the year, another 945MW would be added to the grid.