The nation’s 27 power plants have only been able to achieve power generation of 4,288.6 megawatts despite having a combined installed capacity of 12,954.4MW.
Electricity generation in the country has been hovering between 3,000MW and 4,500 MW as a result of gas constraints, transmission line issues and low demand by electricity distribution companies.
Latest data obtained by Biz Watch Nigeria from the Nigeria Electricity System Operator showed that 4,288.6MW was generated as of 6.00 am on Sunday, slightly lower than the 4,370.6MW produced the previous day.
The system operator put the nation’s installed generation capacity at 12,954.40MW; available capacity at 7,652.60MW; transmission wheeling capacity at 7,300MW; and the peak generation ever attained at 5,584.4MW.
Stranded power represents available energy capacity which could not be generated, transmitted and distributed in the value chain due to system failures.
It also indicates poor level of investment in the value chain especially the Electricity Distribution Companies, DisCos, that could have strengthened power supply and utilization.
This is despite a total of $6.15bn secured by the Federal Government to fund various capital projects in the power sector.
The Minister of Power, Mr. Sale Mamman, recently noted that about N254 billion had been lost to the inability of the electricity industry to fully wheel its total 12,000 megawatts to the national grid due to a frustrating lack of infrastructure.
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Mamman, who made the disclosure in a statement marking his one year in office, said that as a market in transition, the sector had been experiencing teething challenges.
He added that under his watch, the national grid experienced a peak of 5, 420.30MW, the highest ever.
He stated, “Infrastructure development is critical for the development of the power sector. The sector needs a reliable infrastructure to connect supply chains and efficiently move electricity from generation to households.
“Due to lack of infrastructure, the sector is unable to effectively utilise its generation capacity of over 12,000MW and incurred over N254 billion as the cost of unutilised capacity.”
