Nigeria’s electricity grid experienced another significant failure on Friday, with power generation plummeting from 3,366.88 Megawatts at 1 PM to 1,517.5 MW by 2 PM, and further down to 1,417.85 MW by 3 PM.
Data from the National Independent System Operator (NISO) revealed that the number of operational power plants on the grid decreased from 22 at 1 PM to just 13 by 3 PM.
This latest power supply crisis marks the second major drop in grid output this year.
Just two days prior, the Federal Government had celebrated a peak generation of over 5,800 MW, a figure many experts deemed misleading as it was not maintained for more than a few minutes.
Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, indicated that tariff regularization could increase available generation capacity to approximately 7,000 MW. In a statement from his Special Adviser on Strategic Communication, Bolaji Tunji, Chief Adelabu elaborated on the regularization process.
He stated, “In order to maintain these advancements, the Government must address the tariff shortfalls of N1.94 trillion for 2024, along with legacy debts of N2 trillion owed to the GENCOs. It is crucial to persist with tariff reforms to ensure that consumers begin to pay for the energy they use.
“Once the tariffs are fully adjusted, we will be approaching a generation capacity of 7,000 MW. This will represent another important milestone in our quest for a stable, reliable, and efficient power sector that serves the needs of all Nigerians.”
