The Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), which represents nightclubs in Nigeria, has shed light on Nigeria’s power generation needs.
ANED Executive Director of Research and Advocacy, Sunday Oduntan revealed this in Lagos during a day-long workshop for energy journalists and civil society groups. The workshop focused on the theme Raising consumer awareness and building the customer service capacity of electricity distribution companies.
Oduntan pointed out that since 1960, when Nigeria gained independence, Africa’s most populous nation has not produced up to 6,000 MW of electricity.
Oduntan said Nigeria would need 200,000 MW of power generation to meet the electricity needs of its 200 million citizens, adding that by international standards, 1,000 MW was needed to serve one million people.
Of Nigeria’s 13,000 MW of installed generation capacity, only 3,500 MW to 5,000 MW was available for transmission to end consumers. Although 28 power plants are connected to the national power grid, many suffer from recurring challenges such as maintenance and repair requirements, shutdowns, breakdowns and leaks which sometimes render them unavailable for evacuation to the national grid.
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In addition, gas supply shortages caused by the inability of generation companies to pay for gas, sub-optimal gas pricing, as well as vandalism of gas transmission facilities resulting in the closure of gas-fired power plants were included. among the many obstacles to the production of electricity in the country.
“Since 1960, the country has failed to produce up to 6,000 MW of electricity, creating a huge gap in service delivery in the system. There are 28 power generation companies in Nigeria, which include three hydroelectric power stations and 25 thermal power stations currently operating below capacity and collectively generating an average of around 4,000 MW,” Oduntan said.
Expressing his dissatisfaction with the performance of the government-controlled and centralized Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) – notorious for its endless grid meltdowns and nationwide blackout – the ANED spokesman advised the federal government to hand over the TCN to capable private individuals who can operate and manage it better.
Noting that TCN has contributed to the sector’s poor performance, Oduntan warned that failure to privatize the company will keep Nigeria perpetually facing power supply disruptions with a negative impact on homes and businesses.
He also criticized TCN for not having supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), arguing that this is why it was difficult for the company to discover faults transparently and in real time. from his office without anyone physically reporting faults on his networks.
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He, however, exonerated Discos for their inability to pay for electricity purchased from generation companies, blaming it on what he described as energy dumping and, in most cases, insufficient supply to meet needs. client. Oduntan said the failure to apply cost-reflective tariffs in the electricity sector was a major impediment to the development of the sector and the supply of stable electricity to customers across the country.
Arguing that achieving 24-hour power supply in the country was possible and had been tested and proven, Oduntan cited the ongoing premium power agreement between some Discos and franchise areas, such as Ikeja GRA and Magodo in Lagos, where residents enjoy a stable power supply. because of their willingness to pay the right price for electricity.
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