Power Supply Worsens As Egbin Plant Generation Drops

Public power supply has worsened in many states of the federation, especially in Lagos State, which accounts for 40 per cent of the national electricity demand.

A check by our correspondent reveals that industrial, commercial and individual electricity consumers have complained of more frequent outages in the past three weeks, while residents in the Lagos metropolis hardly have up to three hours of supply daily.

A source at the Egbin Power Station at Ikorodu, Lagos, who did not want to be quoted,said that generation at the thermal plant had dropped drastically from 900 megawatts to less than 500 megawatts, as of Friday, due to the ongoing rehabilitation work at the Kanji Dam in Niger.

The source said that none of the six units at the plant was producing at its installed capacity of 220 megawatts, adding that only four of them were now working.

“We are not generating at our full capacity of 1,320 megawatts due to some local problems, as well as the ongoing rehabilitation of the Kanji Dam.

“ The little we are generating and sending to transmission is being complemented by that from the AES Independent Station,” he said.

However, Mr Mike Uzoigwe, Chief Executive Officer, Egbin Power Station, told newsmen that generation at the plant stood at 1,080 megawatts, adding that five of the six units at the plant were working at full capacity.

He said the sixth unit would soon be restored.

Our correspondent reports that the Egbin plant is PHCN’s biggest thermal power station, with an installed capacity of 1,320 megawatts.

Mr C. Don Adinuba, Special Adviser on Media to the Minister of Power, on Friday said that the epileptic power supply, currently being experienced nationwide, was largely due to the ongoing rehabilitation of the Kanji and the Shiroro Hydro Dams.