NIGERIA:Power generation hits record high of 4,477.7MW

This is despite ongoing repairs at the Egbin power station.


Nigeria, on Wednesday, attained a new level in power generation, for the first time in history generating 4,307.7 Megawatts, plus 170MW which serves as spinning reserve, bringing the total quantum of power to 4,477.7MW.

This recent peak surpasses the record level of 4,237MW realised on Monday, August 6, 2012, by 240.7MW.

Nigeria also broke a previous record in power generation in August, 2010 when 3,800MV was generated, but the system crashed within a few minutes due to poor maintenance of the transmission infrastructure.

Nonetheless, the minister of power, Professor Barth Nnaji, said about the current achievement: “The good news is that every power generated is wheeled comfortably.”

Simeon Atakulu, a one-time PHCN executive director and former chief executive of the Egbin Power station in Ikorodu, Lagos State, said: “It is significant that the new record in generation has been set, even with the 1,200MW Egbin plant, the nation’s flagship power generator, doing only 600MW because it is undergoing routine maintenance. This means we have a spare power capacity of over 300MW.”

This latest productivity increase came from the 600MW Shiroro hydro station in Niger State, which was wrongfully reported to have been shut down by some junior staff regarding pension funds.

It was also reported that the Nigerian Gas Company, a subdivision of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), increased its supply of gas to power stations, in line with instructions from President Goodluck Jonathan and Petroleum Resources Minister Diezani Allison-Madueke.

It is expected that power available to Nigerians would increase further before the month runs out.

Nnaji stated that one unit of 112.5MW at the Omotosho plant of the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) in Ondo State will start to run this month, adding that he will soon travel to Ugheli in Delta State in preparation for the addition of 200MW from the Delta Power Plant later this month.

One unit of 112.5MW will be commissioned next month at the NIPP plant at Ihonvbe on the outskirts of Benin, Edo State, with another unit of the same capacity scheduled to start power supply in October, the same month one unit of 112.5MW of the second phase of the Geregu plant in Kogi State will be commissioned.