₦airaland Forum

By Obinna Ezeobi, Abuja
Published: Friday, 4 Jul 2008 (PUNCH NEWSPAPERS)
As the parlous state of power supply across the country worsened in the last few days, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria announced on Thursday that it will from Friday, (today) begin zonal power rationing.

In a statement Thursday night, the utility company said the rationing will be done nationwide on a 12-hourly basis.

According to the statement, “There will be a nationwide 12-hourly zonal power rotational rationing from 6am – 6pm and 6pm – 6am starting from Friday, July 4, 2008.”

The statement, which was credited to the management of the company claimed that the exercise was to ensure even distribution of the limited generation out-put from functioning plants.

It also confirmed the report by the PUNCH on Thursday that there was a serious power crisis, which the officials had refused to come clean about until the report.

The management of the company further stated that the issue of inadequate gas supply to the thermal power stations Egbin, Omotosho, Geregu, Delta and Sapele was yet to be resolved.

The statement read, “Low water levels at the lakes of the hydro power stations, which account for 25 per cent of the nation’s generation out-put has compounded the instability in the power system leading to the prevailing nationwide load shedding.

“The low level was brought about by the increased draw down of water during dry season to augment shortfall in the thermal units.”

Although PHCN claimed that it was working hard to ensure improvement in power supply, the statement was silent on when this should be expected or the current generation capacity, which is believed to be embarrassing.

Our correspondent had gathered exclusively on Wednesday that generation had below 900 mega watts for the whole country on Tuesday.

At peak performance, the PHCN generates about 3,000MW which is hardly sufficient, leading to constant power outages.

Our correspondent gathered that AES, the privately owned thermal power company located in Lagos was undergoing turnaround maintenance, hence its output of about 300MW was out.

Observers are baffled that the hydro stations are yet to reach their peak performance despite the steady rains since April.

I thank my God that i am out of this Maybe God forsaken Country - massive corruption on a whole even its citizens are guilty. Please tell how a country can can change when the citizens are equally as corrupt as their leader. One vicous circle of going nowhere.


Facts

1. One plant ( called the Logannet power station) out of many in the UK generates at full capacity 2400 mw of electricity more than the combined generation of Nigeria.

2. 15% of electricity of the UK comes from a renewable source ( wind, solar) sooner or later they would not need your oil and gas anymore -


I can guarantee you that by the year 2020 we will still be darkness all long as you keep recycling those so called self centered, clueless leaders.

Power supply has declined drastically across the country; with overall power generation capacity hovering around 900 mega watts for the whole country.

At peak performance, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria generates about 3,000MW, which is grossly inadequate and results in constant outages.

However, the general poor state of power supply deteriorated in the past one week with some parts of Lagos said to have gone without power supply for up to five consecutive days.

Abuja has also been badly affected, with power supply to parts of the city now at its lowest levels in years.

A blackout at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos on Tuesday disrupted flight operations for several hours.

A source in the Power Holding Company of Nigeria who spoke with one of our correspondents in Abuja confirmed that total power generation on Monday by the utility company had declined below 900 mega watts.

According to the source who preferred anonymity, “Only few states have power right now because if all states are to share from the current supply, the system will collapse.”

Our correspondent gathered that the situation was compounded by the fact that AES, the privately owned thermal power company located in Lagos was out of operation.

He said, “AES which normally adds 300MW is undergoing turnaround maintenance. So about 300MW is out.”

The source added that the matter was compounded by the fact that the hydro stations, which were expected to have reached their peak performance following the rains, were yet to do so.

Officials of PHCN told our correspondent in May that the hydro stations would reach their peak performance in July and improve the power supply.

The source further stated that the perennial shortage of gas had continued, even though the Federal Government through the Ministry of Energy had continually claimed that it was addressing it through the Gas Supply Obligations, which it gave to the major oil companies operating in the country.

When our correspondent tried to contact senior officials of the power sector to explain the crisis, they refused to pick their calls and did not reply text messages sent to their phones

Power supply has declined drastically across the country; with overall power generation capacity hovering around 900 mega watts for the whole country.

At peak performance, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria generates about 3,000MW, which is grossly inadequate and results in constant outages.

However, the general poor state of power supply deteriorated in the past one week with some parts of Lagos said to have gone without power supply for up to five consecutive days.

Abuja has also been badly affected, with power supply to parts of the city now at its lowest levels in years.

A blackout at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos on Tuesday disrupted flight operations for several hours.

A source in the Power Holding Company of Nigeria who spoke with one of our correspondents in Abuja confirmed that total power generation on Monday by the utility company had declined below 900 mega watts.

According to the source who preferred anonymity, “Only few states have power right now because if all states are to share from the current supply, the system will collapse.”

Our correspondent gathered that the situation was compounded by the fact that AES, the privately owned thermal power company located in Lagos was out of operation.

He said, “AES which normally adds 300MW is undergoing turnaround maintenance. So about 300MW is out.”

The source added that the matter was compounded by the fact that the hydro stations, which were expected to have reached their peak performance following the rains, were yet to do so.

Officials of PHCN told our correspondent in May that the hydro stations would reach their peak performance in July and improve the power supply.

The source further stated that the perennial shortage of gas had continued, even though the Federal Government through the Ministry of Energy had continually claimed that it was addressing it through the Gas Supply Obligations, which it gave to the major oil companies operating in the country.

When our correspondent tried to contact senior officials of the power sector to explain the crisis, they refused to pick their calls and did not reply text messages sent to their phones

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