By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
POWER AVAILABILITY nationwide is expected to improve within the next 24 to 48 hours following a significant drop in generation caused by the recent explosion on the Escravos Lagos gas pipeline, the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) has said.
The operator disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday, explaining that the incident led to a sharp reduction in electricity generation nationwide.
NISO stated that the explosion disrupted gas supply to several gas fired power stations, resulting in low output levels and a reduction in available generation capacity on the national grid.
The statement said the shortfall in generation directly affected electricity supply to customers across the country. NISO noted that it is closely monitoring ongoing repair works being carried out by the Nigerian Gas Processing and Transportation Company (NGPTC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, on the damaged pipeline.
“This explosion caused a significant drop in electricity generation. Recall that, following the explosion, several gas fired power stations recorded low outputs, reducing available generation capacity on the national grid and resulting in a shortfall in electricity supply to customers,” the statement said.
NISO added that it remains in close contact with the NGPTC and has received assurances that restoration work on the vandalised pipeline is nearing completion.
The operator stated that the pipeline is expected to be fully operational within the next 24 to 48 hours.
“It is expected that the vandalised pipeline will be fully operational within the next twenty to 48 hours, allowing the affected power plants to resume operations and restore full electricity supply to Nigerians,” the statement said.
Earlier, the NNPC limited confirmed on December 15 that coordinated containment measures had been successfully executed at the site of the Escravos Lagos pipeline explosion adding that actions were taken to address the incident and stabilise the situation at the affected location.
Power Minister Assures Nigerians
Also reacting to the situation, the Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, assured Nigerians that electricity supply would be reinforced following the recent decline in power availability as contained in a statement issued on Tuesday.
The statement, signed by Bolaji Tunji, special adviser on strategic communications and media relations to the minister, said the decline in electricity supply was caused by a temporary shortfall in power generation and would be resolved within 48 hours.
“The drop in power supply followed an explosion on the Escravos Lagos Gas Pipeline, compounded by acts of vandalism on critical gas infrastructure, which disrupted gas supply to several thermal power plants across the country,” Adelabu said.
The minister acknowledged the inconveniences being experienced by households and businesses as a result of the reduced electricity supply.
He said efforts were underway to address the situation as quickly as possible.
Adelabu disclosed that he held meetings with key stakeholders in the power sector to review the situation and coordinate response measures.
He said participants at the meetings included the NISO, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the Ministry of Power, electricity generation (Gencos) as well as electricity distribution companies (Discos).
He explained that the discussions were held in view of increased electricity demand during the Yuletide season, which made it necessary to ensure the prompt restoration of gas supply and an increase in energy generation.
At the meetings, Adelabu said stakeholders confirmed that repairs to the vandalised pipelines would be completed within 24 to 48 hours.
He also said the completion of the repairs would allow gas supply to resume and enable affected power plants to return to normal operations.
Following the confirmation, the minister said he directed all relevant agencies to intensify their efforts and ensure strict adherence to the agreed timeline for the completion of repairs and restoration of supply.
“We understand the frustration this has caused Nigerians. However, we wish to assure the public that the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Power, is working round the clock to address the situation with utmost urgency,” Adelabu said.
The minister reiterated that the urgency of restoring gas supply and ramping up energy generation was heightened by the increased electricity demand associated with the Yuletide season.
Furthermore, he expressed optimism that gas supply and power generation would improve significantly within the next 24 to 48 hours, with electricity supply levels gradually returning to normal across the country.
Adelabu added that the FG is treating the incident with utmost seriousness. He said immediate efforts are focused on restoring electricity supply while ensuring coordination among all relevant agencies in the power sector.
He also stated that beyond the immediate response to the incident, long term measures are being accelerated.
These measures, he said, include efforts to diversify the nation’s energy mix, strengthen the resilience of the national grid, and deploy advanced surveillance technologies to protect critical energy infrastructure.
