A total of 3010 megawats are stranded despite the blackout experienced by residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), for the second day in a week, Blueprint can report.
Recall that the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) had on Monday apologised to customers in its franchise area over the grid collapse which occurred on the same day.
Though, power was later restored in some parts of the FCT on Monday, there was a total blackout in some parts of the nation’s capital for almost eight hours on Tuesday and as at time of filing this report around 5:39pm there was no official statement on the development.
The Monday’s blackout, according to
the AEDC’s Chief Marketing Officer, Mr Donald Etim, was caused by the system collapse which occurred in the national grid.
3010MW stranded – Gencos
The Power Generation Companies ( GENCOS) have alleged that 3010 megawatts of electricity are stranded owing to payment and declared that the development was affecting their operations.
The Executive Secretary of the Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC), Dr. Joy Ogaji, while addressing journalists over the weekend in Abuja, she said on the average, from 2015 to January 2022, a minimum of 3010 megawatts were stranded on a daily basis, saying it has resulted in a huge payment loss, adding that: ” I told you from 2013, power is stranded. Now, from 2015 or 2016, We have 6.616 megawatts available. 3606MW was taken and 3010MW stranded”.
She also alleged that the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) owed them over N1.644 trillion being the debts for the stranded or unutilized power since 2015 till date.
The companies in response to the statement issued by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), issued on the 8th day of March 2022,, which ascribed the low power generation to GenCos’ inability or refusal to generate power, also alleged that a large chunk of its generated power are stranded.
Giving the breakdown, she said from 2015 till January of this year, on the average, a minimum of 3010 megawatts were stranded on a daily basis, which she said resulted in a huge payment loss.
She said: “… I told you from 2013, power is stranded. Now, from 2015 or 2016, We have 6.616 megawatts available. 3606MW was taken and 3010MW stranded. The capacity payment loss for 2015 was N 214. 93 billion. In 2016, we made an average of 7000MW, only 3212MW was utilized, the standard capacity amounted to 3888MW , the equivalent capacity loss equivalent was N273. 273bn. In 20 17, we made 6008 71MW, only 3599MW was taken, 3302WM was left stranded. That’s the capacity the event loss came to N236. 47 billion for 2018’’.
But, the Head Corporate Communication, NBET, Henrietta Ighomrore, faulted Gencos’ position, claiming that only five power generation companies with active Gas Purchase Agreement were paid for unused capacity.
Abuja residents count losses on Tuesday
Meanwhile, many residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Tuesday,
counted their losses owing to the poor power supply or blackouts in some parts of the nation’s capital, which has been on for always a week.
An electricity consumer in Jahi 2, in Jahi district of the FCT, Babafemi Kehinde, lamented that the development had affected his barbing business, adding that the development had made him to rely on generator to make his daily wage.
“I have been enduring, but since Monday now, my business has suffered because of the poor power supply. I am relying on my generator to earn my living wage and the development is compounded by the the fuel scarcity we are currently experiencing. There is no light, no fuel, the situation is terrible and we are appealing to the Federal Government for quick intervention before people die of hunger,” he said.
Also, a Fashion Designer in one of the office spaces in the popular Bannex Complex, Wuse 2, Abuja, who gave his name as Ayo, said the development had his business and called on the government and the AEDC management to urgently address the electricity situation.
He said: ” The most annoying thing is that there is no fuel to power my generator, and some of consumers are angry because I am unable to meet their demands. However, I am calling on our government and the management of the AEDC to urgent address this ugly situation”.
On his part, a laundry man at Gwarimpa, Abuja, Innocent John, who said since Monday, he has been struggling with his business because of some of his costumers, who are angry with him over delay in delivering their clothes.
He called on the Federal Government, AEDC and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to salvage the situation with a view to saving his business from total collapse.
