Eight power plants were unable to generate electricity as of 6 am on Sunday, according to information obtained from the Nigerian Electricity System Operator.
The idle power plants were Alaoji, Ihovbor, Gbarain, Ibom Power, ASCO, AES, Trans-Amadi, and Egbin ST6.
Also, seven power plants could not generate a total of 720 megawatts on Sunday as a result of low load demand by the electricity distribution companies.
The latest data obtained from the Nigerian Electricity System Operator showed that the power plants on the national grid was only able to generated 4424.2MW of electricity as of 6am on Sunday.
It was discovered that a total of 1952.5 megawatts of generation capacity was idle as of 6am on Sunday as a result of gas constraints, low load demand by Discos and water management.
The power plants affected by the Discos’ low demand included two of the country’s four hydropower plants, namely Shiroro and Jebba.
Others were Odukpani (NIPP), Geregu I, Afam IV&V, Geregu II (NIPP), and Rivers IPP.
The nation generates most of its electricity from gas-fired power plants, while output from hydropower plants makes up about 30 per cent of the total generation.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has directed power distribution companies to pay for the capacity charge of the rejected energy.
Discos often reject electricity load due to constraints in their networks, a practice which power generation, transmission companies and the Minister of Power, Sale Mamman, had condemned.
To address this, the NERC in its Guidelines for Implementation of Economic Merit Order Dispatch and Other Related Matters, stated that going forward, any Disco found wanting in this matter would have to pay.
It said this was in accordance with the December 2019 Minor Review of the Multi-Year Tariff Order 2015 and Minimum Remittance Order for the Year 2020.
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The commission said Section 11 of the order directed that the “Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading company shall hereafter invoice for capacity charge and energy to Discos based on their load allocation and metered energy, respectively.”
It further stated that Section 12 of the order concluded that “where it is established that the Transmission Company of Nigeria is unable to deliver a Disco’s load allocation, TCN shall be liable to pay for the associated capacity charge.
“Where a Disco fails to take its entire load allocation due to constraints in its network, the Disco shall be liable to pay the capacity charge as allocated in its vesting contract.”
