Nigerians still to experience more darkness as electricity generation drops

The electricity supply in most parts of the country will reduce further from Tuesday with the announcement by the Federal Government of a drop of about 1,000 megawatts, MW following the closure of the Utorogu and Ughelli East gas plants in Delta State.

Utorogu and Ughelli East gas plants, owned by Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC joint venture, JV, produces between 120 and 300 million standard cubic feet per day of gas, MMSCF/D. The two facilities also account for a combined capacity of about 700 MW of electricity generated into the national grid.

With this development, the country’s electricity generation capacity, which averaged about 3,674 MW in recent weeks, would drop further by another 1000 MW. The operations of a number power generation plants sourcing natural gas from the two gas plants, including Egbin and Omotosho, were affected.

Egbin power plant, reputed to be one of the largest in the country, has an installed capacity of about 1,320MW, but hardly operates at average capacity of about 550MW.

The twin plant of Omotoso I and Omotoso II power stations, with combined capacity of about 600MW, has not been performing any better, with a combined generation capacity of less than 250MW.

The generation capacity of other power stations affected by the closure of the gas plants stands at about 300MW.

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