A newly released factsheet by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has indicated that only an average of 5,506 megawatts of installed capacity of 13,625MW electricity was distributed to electricity consumers by utility firms in October this year.

According to the electricity market regulator, this translated to just 40 per cent power plant availability in the month under review.

The month’s performance was driven largely by the top 10 energy producers, which together accounted for about 80 per cent of total generation. The list was dominated by major hydro and gas-fired plants such as Egbin, Delta, Kainji, Shiroro, Okpai, Geregu, and Ihovbor.

Despite the shortfall in electricity distribution, it still represented a marginal two per cent improvement from September.

Despite having 5,506MW available on average, the industry generated only about 4,290 megawatt-hours per hour (MWh/h) during the month under consideration.

This translated to an average load factor of 78 per cent, which NERC noted was unchanged from September, underscoring the chronic challenges besetting Nigeria’s power sector.

Egbin recorded a plant availability factor of 50 per cent and a load factor of 90 per cent, producing an average of 591MWh/h compared to performances by other plants.

Delta generated an average of 347MWh/h, with an availability of 45 per cent and a load factor of 86 per cent. Kainji stood out with one of the highest load factors at 95 per cent, but had a lower availability of 75 per cent.

Zungeru posted a perfect 100 per cent availability but ran at a relatively modest load factor of 47 per cent, generating 330MWh/h. Odukpani, the major Calabar plant, had an availability of 31 per cent but still delivered a load factor of 84 per cent, pointing to persistent fuel-related constraints despite efficient operation when online.

Geregu remained one of the most reliable plants in terms of output quality, with a 50 per cent availability and a load factor of 92 per cent, delivering 200MWh/h.

Afam I recorded 91 per cent load factor with 114MW of available capacity, while Geregu II delivered a 64 per cent load factor at 110MW of average availability.

Olorunsogo I and Omotosho I hit 100 per cent load factors; however, plants such as Rivers I, Okpai II, and Alaoji I generated zero power in the month under review.

The report noted that the grid continued to struggle with voltage and frequency instability, with average lower transmission voltage for the month put at 294.55 kilovolts (kV), while the upper voltage averaged 346.90kV.

Both figures breached the prescribed safe limits of 313.50kV to 346.50kV, suggesting persistent over-voltage and under-voltage events across several transmission corridors.

Grid frequency remained slightly outside the recommended band. The average lower frequency was 49.46 hertz (Hz), while the upper frequency reached 50.69Hz. Both values exceeded the target operational limits set at 49.75Hz to 50.25Hz.

NERC’s report comes after the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, last week stressed that although the grid can comfortably transmit 8,500 MW.

Adebayo blamed the meagre 5,000MW power generation on misalignment between demand and consumption levels in the country. (Channels)