PRIVATIZATION PALAVER: FG Needs 1,584.74Mw To Meet Power Target

Privatization of Nigeria's energy sector. (Source: Vanguard. © Obilonu All Rights Reserved.)

Nearly a week into the New Year, the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) is still 1,584.79 Mega Watts (Mw) away from realizing the Federal Government’s 5,000Mw target for last year.

The Nation reports the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, however, explained during the 2014 Ministerial Platform in Abuja that the generation of 5,000Mw might not spill beyond this month.

His words: “Some people are asking about the completion of NIPP. I have mentioned about Alaoji , Gabrian and Omoku. I don’t think they will spill beyond January for achieving 5,000Mw because the gas is already available.”

But in the Power Statistics posted on the website of the Power Ministry yesterday, it said the Electricity Generation Companies (GENCOs) produced 3,415.21 Mw on January 4.

The Ministry added that of the 3,415.21 Mw, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) evacuated 3,314.99Mw to the Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs). It stressed that TCN recorded a 100.22Mw wheeling gap.

There was however no mention of how many Mw the DISCOs were able to distribute to their customers in a market that is characterized by weak transformers/feeders and other challenges.

The minister had in the last year’s ministerial platform disclosed that some of the companies were rejecting their load allocation.

This latest statistics however showed that the GENCOs hit a peak generation of 3,646.80Mw.

The market highest peak generated power, according to the January 4 statistics was 4,517.6 Mw of December 23, 2012.

Its peak demand forecast is 12,800Mw.

In its penultimate power statistics of December 29, the Ministry had said the GENCOs produced 4,112.29Mw from which the TCN was able to evacuate 4,034.48Mw, which culminated to a wheeling gap of 77.81Mw.

There was also an energy generation of 4,112.29Mw while the market hit a peak energy generation of 4,389.70Mw on the same December 29.
Following the statistics, the electricity market transmission soared from 3,314.99Mw to the current 4,034.48Mw, which increased energy sent out by 719.49Mw within a week.