The Federal Government on Friday hinted of an imminent total blackout across the country unless the ongoing industrial dispute between it and labour unions is urgently settled.
Speaking with State House correspondents, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali, disclosed that power supply had fallen to 1.32 mega watts. Igali attributed the sharp drop to a number of challenges, warning that it may get worse if the Federal Government/Labour dispute is not resolved in earnest.
Igali also noted that gas shortages and pipeline vandalism are other factors responsible for the power drop.
His words: “It has become necessary to update our citizens on the current power situation in the country. “Prior to the current constraints we have been encountering, we have generated between 4,800 megawatts at the beginning of the year with a potential to get up to 6,000 megawatts based on the available gas and hydros. “Besides, pipeline vandalization, which has continued to have very negative impact on the power supply situation in the country, the ongoing strike by labour unions in the oil and gas sector has added additional toll.
“The current strike by both senior and junior staff unions of the NNPC, NUPENG and PENGASSAN has led to further reduction of the amount of gas available to most of our power plants, especially in the western axis. “As at 12.00 noon Friday, 22nd May, 2015, UTOROGU, CHEVRON ORE DO, OB EN gas plants are all shut down while UGHELI and CNL ESCRAVOS are all isolated already. “On the eastern axis, Shell Gas, ALAKIRI has also been shut down.
“This has led to the several power plants being stranded and shut down. “This includes EGBIN, OLORUNSHOGO I & 11, OMOTOSHO 1& 11, GEREGU I & 11, IHONVOR and SAPELE (NIPP) on the western axis and ALAOJI on the eastern end. “The overall effect is that power supply, which had started picking up steadily since the beginning of the week, following repairs of various vandalized portions of the ELP Line and the Trans-Forcados Gas Pipelines, has fallen to all-time-unprecedented low of 1,327m as at 1pm on Friday, 22nd May, 2015.
“This situation could get worse if the strike action continues. “The Federal Ministry of Power hopes that the ongoing discussion among the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Petroleum Corporation and the Labour Unions will end amicably and soonest to spare the country from such a major disruption of essential service. “Indeed, it is hoped the Labour Unions would help restore supply of gas to the power plants even while negotiation is on-going.”
