To enhance power supply, the Nigerian government plans to boost electricity generation capacity from 4,000 to 6,000 megawatts in three to six months.
The Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu disclosed this during a meeting with the heads of power agencies and other stakeholders in Abuja on Monday.
According to him, the 4,000 megawatts of power generation is not acceptable.
Adelabu’s statement is coming despite data posted by the Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC), in January, that while available power generation capacity was 6,444.05 Megawatts, actual average daily generation was 4,293.86MW, leaving 2,150.37MW of power stranded at a loss of N13.04 billion.
ALSO READ GenCos lose ₦27.14bn on 4,724.76MW stranded power
On the other hand, sections of the country have recently witnessed power outages without due explanation for it.
The Minister said “The 4,000 megawatts is not acceptable and we have plans to increase the megawatts to a minimum of between 6,000 to 6500 within the next three to six months.
” We are looking at an agreement to ramp up to a minimum of 6,000 megawatts within the next three to six months.
”I know that the highest we ever generated was 5,700 megawatts about three years ago, that was specifically in Nov. 2021.
”And these 5700 megawatts were also distributed. If we could achieve 5,700 at that time, we still have the infrastructure to generate between 6,000 and 6,500,” the Minister said.
The electricity sector in Nigeria generates, transmits, and distributes megawatts(MW) of electric power that is significantly less than what is needed to meet basic household and industrial needs.
Nigeria has twenty-three (23) power-generating plants connected to the national grid with the capacity to generate 11,165.4 MW of electricity.
These plants are managed by generation companies (GenCos), independent power providers, and Niger Delta Holding Company.
In 2012, the industry labored to distribute 5,000 MW, very much less than the 40,000 MW needed to sustain the basic needs of the population.
