Blackout: Emergency Measures Restored Power Supply, says FG

The federal Government has said emergency measures led to the recovery from last week’s power outage across the country.

Minister of Power, Engr Abubakar Aliyu, said this while giving an update on the electricity situation in the country.

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The National grid had collapsed twice last week, forcing President Muhammadu Buhari to tender an apology to Nigerians, assuring then that relief was on the way.

‘The minister of power had summoned some stakeholders in the electricity sector to summon an emergency meeting.

In a statement he personally signed on Saturday, Aliyu said the situation had improved.

He said the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc has been directed to enter into fast-track negotiation with NAOC on an interim energy sales agreement with a view bringing the new Okpai Il power plant on the grid thereby contributing additional 4OOMW of generation capacity.

“Following the emergency meeting convened by the Honourable on March 14th 2022, towards the restoration of normal supply of electricity supply nationwide and the development of a framework for sustainable improvement of supply, we are pleased to apprise consumers with an update on the progress so far made to address the recent challenges in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.”

“The Nigerian public may please recall that the national grid lost about 1,100MW generation capacity as a consequence of simultaneous disruptions in gas supply to the Okpai, Calabar and the Afam VI power plants. The available generation capacity was exacerbated by the ongoing water management regime at the Kainii, Jebba and Shiroro power plants. The progress so far made includes, amongst many other initiatives, the following:

“The gas pipeline affected by acts of vandalism has been restored and the Okpai power plant has resumed power generation and currently contributing an average of 300MW.

“The “pigging” of the gas pipeline supplying gas to the Odukpani power plant is scheduled for completion on March 21st 2022 thus ramping up generation by about ÅOOMW.

“In order to optimise the capacity utilisation of the power plants owned by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Ltd (NDPHC), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has approved a special gas pricing for emergency contracting OF gas from the Nigerian Gas Marketing Company

“In the medium-term, we have agreed with NGPIC (…a subsidiary of NNPC) on the framework for the overhaul of the Okoloma gas processing plant thereby restoring the full capacity of the 650MW Afam VI combined cycle power plant.

“While the recent spate of system collapse is regrettable, it was a direct consequence of a snap on a 330kV transmission line. The mitigation measures for avoiding such incidence of blackouts are being implemented through several interventions including the Presidential Power Initiative.

“We wish to reassure all electricity consumers that all relevant agencies involved in the restoration of normality in power supply have been charged to act in the context of the emergency state of the industry. The Federal Ministry of Power shall continue to periodically update the nation on the progress.”