A new projection for power generation nationwide was yesterday put at 9000 Mega Watts (MW) effective first quarter of 2020.
Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, shared this optimism at the Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce meeting in Lagos, saying power generation had steadily rose by 1000MW average per year, since 2015 till date.
Fashola, who was addressing businessmen, politicians and technocrats, scored the sector high in the last three years against the backdrop of current 7000MW with more prospects of additions to the grid ahead of the 2020 projection.
He said though the challenges are still enormous, the task of achieving stable power supply nationwide is achievable with more hard work and support from stakeholders, especially the private sector.
With the privilege of travelling nationwide to visit all the power plants in the country, the minister said progress of the power sector is best measured between where Nigeria was in 2015 and the current power generation, transmission and distribution indices.
Today, according to Fashola, power generation has increased from 4000MW in 2015 to 7000MW and “that power is available as we are averaging 1000MW per year in incremental worth”.
Transmission has also improved from 5000 to 7000MW, while distribution has peaked from 3000MW in 2015 to 5222MW as at January this year “and that is the highest amount of energy this country has distributed ever”.
On the prospects for the future, Fashola said before the end of the year, another 945MW would be added to the grid.
Currently, almost half of that (459MW) is ready from Azura. Afam IV also has 240MW ready, Kaduna 215MW and Kashimila in Taraba 40MW are all ready.
He said further that by quarter one of 2020, Zungaru Hydo Power Plant would be able to add 700MW and Opai II will add 450MW, which is already 1150MW average increase per year.
