The federal government has renewed efforts to implement the Power Sector Recovery Programme (PSRP) launched in 2017 as it sets a new benchmark of delivering an average generation of 4,500 megawatts per hour (MWh/h) on the national grid daily.
Presenting an overview of the updated programme, Belije Madu of the PSRP secretariat at a media workshop on Wednesday, said the “PSRP includes a set of measures to ensure that a minimum 4,500MWh/hour of electricity is supplied to the distribution grid from 2022.
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“This is the minimum level of supply necessary for grid stability and the reduction of system outages.”
He noted that the implementation of the 4,500MW daily generation benchmark started in January 2022.
However, Daily Trust reports that the national grid had been low and mostly had not sustained the benchmark due to gas constraints, low water level and power transmission lines’ vandalism.
At noon on Wednesday, the highest generated energy on the national grid was 3,549.80MW, about 1,000MW less than the 4,500MW hourly benchmark. On Tuesday, the lowest generated energy was 3,565.30MW while the peak energy was 4,159.30MW.
Madu also said electricity tariff shortfall payment has been reduced from an accumulated N1.891 trillion to N247 billion and will be eliminated by December 2022, through the efforts.
The World-Bank supported PSRP was intensified in 2021 with the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, approving the PSRP Financing Plan for 2021, according to its factsheet.
Among the PSRP milestones is that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) approved Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) for the 11 DisCos for 2021-2025 effective July 2021 to improve services.
“Total PIP investments are envisaged to be about N871 billion across the 11 DisCos, with funding from DisCo financing and government interventions,” the PSRP secretariat stated.
In his address, Chairman of NERC, Engr. Sanusi Garba, said: “Notwithstanding the electric power supply industry is now private sector driven, its relevance to economic growth and industrial development will require strategic government interventions.”
While launching the website, Garba advised stakeholders to check the PSRP website and see what the ministry and the entire sector is doing to improve power for Nigerians.
