By Patrick Andrew
Abuja
Stable power supply during the yuletide is far from being guaranteed following continuous drop in the generation which is currently slightly above 3000 megawatts.
Accordingly, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said unless there is improvement in gas supply, any power generation drop below 3,000 megawatts will translate to corresponding drop in power supply.
The Managing Director of TCN, Mr. Abubakar Tambuwal Atiku, who disclosed this, said disruptions in oil and gas installations have led to frequent system collapses and inadequate gas supply to the generating plants.
The transmission network has recorded over 20 system collapses in 2016, a development that were largely blamed on the weak transmission network, which is regarded as the weakest link in the electricity value chain.
Atiku said that the current 20-30MW spinning reserve is not enough to save the system from collapse whenever up to 300MW is suddenly lost by the grid.
Further, he said that the transmission network has a capacity to wheel 7,000MW, stressing that gas shortages have made it difficult for generation to improve.
Meanwhile, the TCN has claimed that about 130 power transmission projects have been abandoned across the country since 2002 due to inadequate funds to execute them.
Its Managing Director told stakeholders at electricity customers’ forum organised by the Eko Electricity Distribution Plc., in Lagos that the present government was determined to would execution these projects to improve in the power situation in the country.
He said the Omotosho/Egbin 330/11 KVA line, which is one of the projects, would be given priority attention in the 2017 budget, adding that the government intends alter the current poor status.
“We have the capacity to generate 7, 500 mega¬watts of electricity but we are faced with issues of gas challenge.
“The country’s power generation hovers between 3,000 megawatts and 3,300 megawatts due to challenge caused by inadequate gas supply’’, he said.
Abubakar, however, re¬gretted that the develop¬ment could not be attained now causing generation to shrink to about 300 mega¬watts due to gas constraint in the country.
