Technical problems in Egbin plant, poor gas supply… TCN lists factors responsible for power outage

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says the abysmal power supply experienced nationwide is due to low power generation by the generation companies (GenCos).

Ndidi Mbah, general manager, public affairs, TCN, said this in a statement made available to TheCable on Tuesday.

Mbah said all generating companies are performing below capacity, and TCN can only transmit the quantum of power generated.

“The Transmission Company of Nigeria wishes to notify consumers of electricity that the current load shedding being experienced nationwide is as a result of very low power generation by the Generation Companies (GENCOs) for TCN to wheel through the transmission grid to distribution companies nationwide,” he said.

“Presently, the cumulative generation nationwide is low and generation companies have attributed this to several factors including poor gas supply, fault in generating units of generating companies, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, all of which have caused most power generating companies to limit their generation, and sometimes not generate at all.

“A summary of the power generating profiles in the last two months shows that 14 gas-powered generating stations were either not generating at all or had limited generation at various times within the period, further depleting the quantum of power generation available for transmission into the grid daily.”

Mbah said some of the power generating stations in this category include Omotosho units five and six, Olorunsogo units three, four and six, Omoku units three and six, Omotosho NIPP units three and four, Delta units 15, 17, and 18, Afam VI units 11 and 12, Olorunsogo NIPP unit three, Ihovbor NIPP unit two, Sapele Steam unit three, Sapele NIPP unit one, Odukpani NIPP units one and three, and Okpai units 11, 12 and 18.

He also explained that within the same period, Jebba Hydro and Shiroro power generating stations were either out or had limited generation, causing additional loss of 232MW from the grid. 

He added that other power generating plants such as Omotosho units three and four, Olorunsogo units one, Delta units 10 and 20, Afam VI unit 13, Ihovbor NIPP units four, Geregu NIPP units 22 and 23 and Odukpani NIPP units two, four and five, have also been out either on fault or for scheduled maintenance, causing a further loss of about 3,180MW from the grid.

“A combination of the above scenarios have persisted and the total effect on the grid is the persistent low generation, which TCN Operators have had to strive to dispatch in a way that will not jeopardise the stability of the grid,” Mbah said.

The TCN manager said there was also a generation shortfall due to water management in Shiroro and Jebba hydro resulting in the loss of 307MW and 125MW respectively from both stations from March 1 to 4, 2022.

“Within the same period, there were fault and technical problems in Egbin, causing 514MW shortfall and in Geregu causing 230MW shortfall, while reported fault at Alaoji NIPP reduced generation from the substation by 263MW,” he added.

“Gas constraint alone in Olorunsogo gas generating plant reduced generation from the station by 104MW, in the same vein, Omotosho gas lost 102MW, and Sapele NIPP lost 263MW. In Omotosho NIPP, there was a generation shortfall of 233MW, and in Omoku, a shortfall of 112MW. Two units in Okpai have limited generation due to technical problems causing a 204MW drop in generation and Afam VI 511MW drop in the generation.”

He noted that gas constraint and fault in Olorunsogo NIPP reduced generation by 240MW, Geregu NIPP by 435MW, and Ihovbor by 142MW, adding that Odukpani NIPP was shut down due to gas pipeline pigging which caused a reduction of generation by 575MW.

“TCN further reiterates that a combination of issues ranging from gas constraints, fault, and technical problems within generating plants caused persistent low generation and consequently low load allocation to Distribution Companies nationwide. This is based on the fact that TCN can only transmit what is being generated by GenCos and presently they are all generating below capacity,” he added.

“It is important to note that except cumulative power generation increases considerably for TCN to transmit to distribution companies nationwide, TCN will be left with no choice than to continue to load shed.

“We will however continue to work hard to ensure the efficient allocation of the total load generated by the power generating stations into the grid, bearing in mind the need to ensure that the national grid is stable in spite of the challenges posed by the insufficient load on the transmission grid.”