Power Sector And Other Related News Stories For Monday 19th February 2024
Gas Supply Crisis Drops Nigeria’s Electricity Generation to 2,000 MW Daily Average
The gas crisis has also reportedly affected the power sector as the grid remained below 3,500 megawatts despite an installed capacity of 13,000 megawatts.
While there were about 20 power plants on the grid, the level of generation fluctuated between 3,000MW and 3,500MW as industries and homes face supply challenges in the face of rising tariffs.
This comes as the Nigerian government set up a committee to find a solution to the dwindling electricity generation crisis. The committee is confronted with the inability to pay gas producers $1.3 billion.
The debt and drop in generation are coinciding with the return of subsidies on electricity tariffs, even as an N1.7 trillion shortfalls is expected in 2024.
Nigeria’s electricity generation has dropped to an average 2,000 megawatts from the previous average of 4,000MW.
Senate Will Prevent Hike in Fuel, Electricity Tariff, Says Spokesperson
The Senate has assured Nigerians that it was doing necessary oversight activities to ensure that there is no hike in petroleum pump price and electricity tariff despite the falling value of the naira against major world currencies.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, gave the assurance in an interview with journalists in Abuja.
He was reacting to what the Senate was doing to arrest the current fears over possible hike in electricity tariff and pump price as a result of the high landing cost of petroleum and indebtedness of the federal government to the electricity generating firms.
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, last week said that Nigeria was not likely to sustain the current electricity subsidy.
He explained that the indebtedness of the country’s power sector to electricity Generating Companies (GenCos) and gas companies had risen to over N3 trillion.
It had also been reported in the Media that due to the prevailing black-market rate of about N1,600 per dollar, the landing cost of petrol had soared to about N1,009 per litre, marking a substantial increase from N720 per litre recorded in October 2023.
Senate Vows to Protect Nigerians Against Further Increase in Fuel Price, Electricity Tariff
The Senate has assured Nigerians that it was doing necessary oversight activities to ensure that there is no hike in petroleum pump prices and electricity tariffs despite the falling value of the naira against major world currencies.
The chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, gave the assurance in an interview with journalists in Abuja.
When questioned about the Senate’s response to concerns regarding potential increases in electricity tariffs and fuel prices due to high petroleum landing costs and the Federal Government’s indebtedness to electricity generating companies, he affirmed that the Senate is committed to preventing Nigerians from facing exorbitant costs for electricity and fuel.
Recall that the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, had last week that Nigeria was not likely to sustain the current electricity subsidy.
He explained that the indebtedness of the country’s power sector to electricity-generating companies (GenCos) and gas companies (GasCos) had risen to over N3tn.
Community Petitions Ikeja Electric Over Landlord’s Refusal to Pay Bills for 5 Years
A group of electricity consumers in the Ijagemo community, Lagos State has petitioned Ikeja Electric (ie), Ijegun undertaking over a landlord, Mr Gani Oladipupo, who has allegedly lived in his house for more than five years without paying for the electricity he consumed.
According to the group, Oladipupo did not register with Ikeja Electric, let alone pay the electricity bill.
The group, represented by Pastor Amos Moyo Fabiyi, alleged that Oladipupo was fond of bribing staff of Ijegun undertaking not to disconnect his power supply.
“And whenever his supply is disconnected in his absence, being an electrician himself, he would reconnect illegally,” Fabiyi said.
He called on the authorities to reprimand Oladipupo and make him pay in full his debt to serve as a deterrent to other fraudulent electricity consumers.
In rural areas like Ijagemo, few consumers have metres and bills are calculated through a central billing system.
Ajao Estate Residents Drag Ikeja Electric Over Perpetual Darkness
Frustrated by what they termed “perpetual blackout’ in Ajao Estate, the leadership of the community has cried out over the alleged neglect of the estate by the distribution company (DisCo) in charge of the area.
Speaking exclusively to Business Day Sunday, Lekan Ogunyemi, chairman, Ajao Estate Community Development Association (CDA), who dsoubles as chairman, Resident Association; Deji Fowakan, vice chairman, and Tunde Makun, financial secretary, deplored the alleged refusal of Ikeja Electric to supply light to the Estate, which according to them has made life miserable for the residents.
The Estate officials, who said that they had been on the issue for about five years now, alleged that the situation has got worse in the last two years.
They also alleged that supply of light in the Estate, whenever it happens, does not last up to 10 minutes per day, adding that for weeks, there could be “no flash at all.”
Lamenting the huge cost incurred on daily basis by individuals to power their residences and businesses, and the environmental cum health hazards as a result of the dangerous fumes from generators, the residents said that going to the press was an option they decided to take after series of meetings with the leadership of the DisCo on the issue failed to yield the desired result.
Community Petitions Ikeja Electric Over Landlord’s Refusal to Pay Bills for 5 Years
A group of electricity consumers in the Ijagemo community, Lagos State has petitioned Ikeja Electric (ie), Ijegun undertaking over a landlord, Mr Gani Oladipupo, who has allegedly lived in his house for more than five years without paying for the electricity he consumed.
According to the group, Oladipupo did not register with Ikeja Electric, let alone pay the electricity bill.
The group, represented by Pastor Amos Moyo Fabiyi, alleged that Oladipupo was fond of bribing staff of Ijegun undertaking not to disconnect his power supply.
“And whenever his supply is disconnected in his absence, being an electrician himself, he would reconnect illegally,” Fabiyi said.
He called on the authorities to reprimand Oladipupo and make him pay in full his debt to serve as a deterrent to other fraudulent electricity consumers.
In rural areas like Ijagemo, few consumers have metres and bills are calculated through a central billing system.
