Power Sector News And Other Related Stories For Tuesday 28th June 2022.
Nigeria’s Power Generation Peaks at 3,629MW
Nigeria’s electricity generation peaked at 3,629.5MW on Sunday, 26th June 2022, representing a 2.6% decline compared to a peak of 3,725.1MW recorded in the previous day. This is according to information from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
On the other hand, off-peak generation improved by 10.9% to 3,327.5MW on Sunday, compared to 2,999.6MW recorded on Saturday, when total energy generated slumped to 79,872.55MWh.
Total generated power increased by 4.8% to 83,688.26MWh from 79,872.55MWh generated in the previous day, while supplied energy also increased by 5.1% to 82,654.31MWh from 78,680.37MWh sent out on Saturday.
DisCos’ Payment to GenCos Drops By 50%
Electricity distribution companies (DisCos) payment to generation companies (GenCos) for electricity generation has dropped by 50 per cent.
The statistics showed that DisCos were unable to pay GenCos full payment for the quantity of power generated in January 2022.
As a result, the generation companies recorded a 50 per cent revenue shortfall.
A breakdown of the data showed that although the 26 generating plants submitted an invoice totaling approximately N72bn, DisCos were able to remit only N37bn, putting the percentage drop in payment to GenCos to 50 per cent.
https://economicconfidential.com/2022/06/discos-payment-gencos-drops/
NERC’s 5,000MW July 1 Target is Unrealistic – GenCos
WITH power supply through the national grid showing no sign of improving, the Federal Government’s plan to ditch the ‘best endeavour approach for a contract based Nigerian Electricity Supply Market may not yield the 5,000 Megawatts target, power generation companies have said.
The GenCos said for the 5,000MW supply to happen, the government has to guarantee gas supply to the power plants and also pay up debts owed to them to facilitate the repairs of units in the power plants.
The Executive Secretary of the Association of Power Generation Companies, APGC, Dr. Joy Ogaji told Vanguard in a telephone chat yesterday that the frequent breakdown of the national grid has damaged most of the units which need to be fixed before generation can be ramped up.
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/06/why-nercs-5000mw-july-1-target-is-unrealistic-gencos/
Eko Disco Laments N4bn Loss to Vandalism of Equipment in Six Months
The Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) yesterday lamented the heavy losses it was experiencing due to the activities of vandals, saying it has lost about N4 billion to vandalism of its assets and electrical installations in the last six months.
The Managing Director of EKEDC, Dr Tinuade Sanda, disclosed this to journalists in Lagos, pointing out that most of the vandalism were recorded in Mushin, Yaba, Surulere, Apapa and other such areas in Lagos.
She said cases of vandalism had contributed in no small measure to the prolonged outages in the company’s network, leading to disruptions of many businesses, maiming and harming of staff and loss of lives, particularly of innocent and unsuspecting members of the public.
Operators Keep Mum on Planned 5,000mw Minimum Power Supply from July 1
Operators in the Nigerian power industry have remained silent regarding their preparedness towards the commencement of their planned 5,000 megawatts (MW) minimum electricity supply to Nigerians from July 1, 2022 -three days from today (Tuesday).
The targeted 5000mw minimum power supply from July 1, 2022, is a resolution of the market participants including the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), generation companies (Gencos), distribution companies (Discos), gas suppliers and other critical stakeholders in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) aimed to incrementally improve the nation’s power supply situation.
THISDAY had reported that the participants had agreed to activate contracts to enable seamless gas supply to Gencos and also to ensure that at least 5,000mw was generated, transmitted and distributed to consumers with effect from the said date.
Power Sector: 60 Percent of Customers Still Unmetered – EEDC
The Managing Director of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC, Praveen Chorghade has revealed that about 60 percent of customers within its franchise are still unmetered.
Chorghade, who said this during the flag-off of another round of Mobile Meter Asset Provider, MAP, at the Jubilee Estate in Enugu, weekend, said the disco was working hard to close the metering gap.
He said the issue of meter bypass and energy theft had remained a challenge to the power sector, urging customers to collaborate with discos to boost power supply.
He noted that, “The Meter Asset Provider (MAP) is a metering intervention initiative introduced by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), which allows meter manufacturers and meter vendors to meter customers while they pay for the meters.
https://dailypost.ng/2022/06/26/power-sector-60-percent-of-customers-still-unmetered-eedc/
Mojec: Championing Renewable Energy Through Carbon Reduction
The challenge of generating electricity in Nigeria has become hydra-headed in nature. Several administrations have made efforts to resolve the problem of electric power but their best has consistently come short, with the country’s power grid experiencing frequent collapses recently.
Though the most recent collapse was attributed to the collapse of the Oben Gas plant, which led to the failure to generate supply. Government sources have assured that concerted efforts are ongoing to resolve the situation and ensure it doesn’t repeat.
Those who know have projected that about 50,000MW would be required to adequately light up Nigeria. But, as of July 2016, the total installed capacity in Nigeria was 12,522MW while the estimated population stood at 187 million. These depict a far cry from the projected power requirement expected to sustain the nation.
https://independent.ng/how-mojec-championing-renewable-energy-through-carbon-reduction/
IBEDC Embarks on Mass Disconnection Over Payment Apathy
The Management of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) Plc has appealed to its customers with huge outstandings to pay their bills to avoid disconnection.
The Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the firm, Mr. John Ayodele, made the appeal in a statement on Monday and made available to newsmen in Abeokuta.
“IBEDC is embarking on a mass disconnection exercise because of payment apathy by customers, which is adversely affecting quality service delivery.
” We hereby appeal to our customers, particularly those with huge outstanding bills, to pay up in order to avoid any kind of interruption due to the ongoing mass disconnection.
“We are retooling our revenue drive strategy to ensure that the monies that have been left uncollected through huge debts, non-payment of bills, underpayment of bills, meter by-passing, use of illicit meters and energy theft are raked in.
https://nnn.ng/bills-ibedc-embarks-mass/
S’African Investor to Establish 5,600MW Solar Power in Kebbi
Kebbi State government has allocated 200 hectares of land to a South-Africa based investor, Equity Electricity Company to establish solar power project expected to generate 5,600 megawatts to Argungu town and its environment.
Former Chief of Staff to Kebbi State Government, Alhaji Suleiman Muhammad Argungu, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen on at the weekend.
Argungu, explained that, a team of 30 Canadian technicians are coming to Kebbi state for installation of the materials which already on ground stressed that the execution of the project would last for eight months before commissioning.
According to him, “ the project would be located at Fakon Sarki in Argungu. It it is going to improve electricity and stabilize power supply to all communities in Kebbi state as well as create jobs for the teaming youths of the state.
https://www.sunnewsonline.com/safrican-investor-to-establish-5600mw-solar-power-in-kebbi/
Right Step
Free allocation of prepaid meters to electricity consumers will resume by the end of August, courtesy of the Federal Government’s National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP). In the interim, government has directed electricity distribution companies (DisCos) to resume and rev up the Meter Assets Provider (MAP) programme under which consumers who can’t await the free distribution schedule could procure their meters.
Even though the MAP has been in operation by DisCos for some years, it was side-lined by the introduction of the NMMP under Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s office in 2020 to bridge the wide metering gap in the electricity supply industry.
Whereas the MAP had managed to reach about 4,000 homes by 2020, government’s intervention through ‘Phase 0’ of the NMMP reached more than 800,000 homes. Under the MAP, DisCos place a price tag of about N64,000 on single-phase meters and nearly N120,000 on three-phase meters, inclusive of the Value Added Tax.
https://thenationonlineng.net/right-step-2/
Nigeria, Algeria, Niger Create Taskforce to Develop Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline
According to the Ministry of Petroleum, Niger Republic, a new milestone has been reached for enhancing the regional gas market through the progressing construction of the multi-billion Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP) alongside Algeria and Nigeria.
In a news report by World Oil, H.E. Mahamane Sani Mahamadou, Minister of Petroleum for the Republic of Niger, met with H.E. Mohamed Arkab, Minister of Energy and Mines, Algeria, and H.E. Chief Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources of Nigeria as well as the Director Generals of national oil companies (NOCs) of the three African countries to discuss the implementation of the TSGP on June 20 in Abuja. During the meeting – which follows the signing of the ‘Niamey Declaration’ during the 3rd Forum of the Economic Community of West African States in February 2022 – parties established a taskforce and roadmap for developing the TSGP.
REA, RMI Launch EAP’s Innovation Accelator Bootcamp
The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) has begun an innovation accelerator bootcamp for its Energising Agriculture Program (EAP). The Bootcamp’s collaborative approach brought together diverse actors to critically advance deployment of agriculture electrification interventions.
At the event, Suleiman Babamanu, Nigeria Program Director, RMI, underscored the power of bringing together people to scale solutions from 20 pilots to hundreds at the EAP Boot Camp.
https://theelectricityhub.com/rea-rmi-launch-eaps-innovation-accelator-bootcamp/
Energy Catalyst Africa Launches in South Africa to Support Energy Technology Development
Energy technology innovation and funding network Innovate UK has launched the Energy Catalyst Africa programme in South Africa to support the development of energy technologies by providing early- to late-stage development and commercialisation funding.
The UK government-led programme is aimed at accelerating innovation needed to end energy poverty, and provides financial and advisory support to help bring to market technologies and business models that can improve lives in Africa and Asia, Innovate UK impact and performance manager Amy Flynn said on June 27.
“The challenge is that 789-million people worldwide in 2018 lacked access to electricity and, despite efforts, it is estimated that 650-million people worldwide will still lack access to electricity by 2030,” she said.
Eskom Says Most Workers at Power Plants, Sporadic Protests
South Africa’s power utility said most of its employees are at work, despite some ongoing demonstrations that started last week after a breakdown in wage negotiations, though generation capacity has yet to improve.
“The greater majority of employees are reporting for duty,” Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd.’s media desk said in an emailed reply to questions. There were still some “sporadic protests” and demonstrations on Monday and there’s more generation capacity unavailable than there was in previous days.
Wage negotiations between labor groups and Eskom ended in a deadlock last week, followed by protests at the majority of its coal-fired power stations that generate the bulk of South Africa’s electricity. Power outages that are implemented to protect the grid from a total collapse were extended until Wednesday as the utility builds up emergency reserves.
French Power Producer Developing New Green Energy Projects in Brazil
Voltalia SA, a French renewable power producer, has revealed that it is developing a new solar photovoltaic (PV) cluster in Mina Gerais, a state in Brazil. The new project has the potential of being more than 1.5 GW.
The company revealed that it had commenced operations on the new Arinos cluster for its account and third parties, with some already established partnerships. One of such partnerships is with CTG Brasil, which will contract a certain portion of the capacity once the development phase of a project within the cluster has been completed.
Voltalis noted that the development of large clusters aid in pooling infrastructure, connection networks and maintenance. The company has already engineered two such clusters in Brazil- the 2.4 GW Serra Branca in Rio Grande do Norte and the 1 GW-plus Canudos in Bahia.
https://theelectricityhub.com/french-power-producer-developing-new-green-energy-projects-in-brazil/
Bank of America to Purchase Clean Energy from Mammoth Central
Constellation Energy Corp and Bank of America Corp have made an agreement for the purchase of power and project-specific renewable energy certificates (RECs) from a 160 MW portion of the Mammoth Central solar project in Indiana.
The contract, which is for 15 years, will become effective only when the solar park begins operation in late 2024. The power purchase agreement (PPA) will aid the Bank of America to offset about 17% of its global electricity consumption with solar power. The Bank of America aims to achieve net-zero by 2050 in its financing activities, operations and supply chain.
https://theelectricityhub.com/bank-of-america-to-purchase-clean-energy-from-mammoth-central/
Polish Solar Company Reveals Major Plans for Italian Market
R.Power Group, a Polish solar energy company, has revealed that it will equip its portfolio in Italy with more than 1 GWp of PV projects in development within the next year. The firm has made tremendous progress, signing agreements of over 100 MWp with of capacity with landowners in the past month alone.
“R.Power has been present on the Italian market for several years, we are just building our first power plants that won the auctions at the beginning of 2022, and we see great market potential precisely thanks to the PV auction system as well as the growing area of PPAs,” commented Jakub Charaszkiewicz, R.Power’s executive in charge of the group’s development in Italy.
https://theelectricityhub.com/polish-solar-company-reveals-major-plans-for-italian-market/
Norway’s Statkraft Outlines 2030 Growth Target Amid Eu’s Driven Green Push
Norwegian state-owned energy firm Statkraft has disclosed its expanded renewables growth plan for 2030. It seeks to capitalise on stronger European green energy ambitions and increase power generation by up to 50 per cent.
Chief Executive Christian Rynning-Toennesen, in a statement to the Reuters, said, ” We have an ambition to lead the green shift in Norway and play a significant role in Europe.”
