Nationwide darkness looms as electricity supply drops to 1,400MW

Darkness looms across the country as the total amount of power available to the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, to distribute to homes and offices across Nigeria has dropped to 1,400 megawatts, MW, as at 12 midnight, Tuesday 17th, May, 2016.
This was disclosed yesterday by the System Operation/ Market Operation Department of the TCN in a statement issued in Abuja by its Assistant General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr. Clement Ezeolisah.
Ezeolisah explained that the drop in the electricity generation into the national grid was as a result of operational challenges experienced by gas power generation companies in the country.

He further blamed the situation on constraints in the thermal power stations which have prevented the generators from producing at optimal levels.

Ezeolisah expressed the regret of TCN over the attendant inconvenience the low power generation has caused homes and businesses in the country, stressing that, “it is noteworthy to report that all stakeholders are working assiduously to achieve improvements in the power supply deliverables. The attendant inconvenience as a result of low power generation is regretted.”
While the statement was silent on the nature of these challenges that caused the load shedding, it may not be unconnected with the dip in gas supply to the plants. Key pipelines in the Niger Delta conveying gas to power plants in the south have been vandalised and are undergoing repairs which the government said will be completed within the last days of this month.