FG: Power Supply Falls Below 1,327MW

Federal government has lamented that power supply has fallen to N1,327 megawatts, describing it as “unprecedentedly low.” The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power, Godknows Igali, said this at the Presidential Villa yesterday while addressing journalists on current power situation in the country. He said the situation could get worse if the current strike in the oil and gas sector continues.

Igali, who said the government had expected an increase from the 4,800 mw generated at the beginning of the year to 6,000 mw, also blamed the situation on gas pipeline vandalism. “Besides pipeline vandalisation which has continued to have very negative impact on the power supply situation in the country, the on-going strike by labour unions in the oil and gas sector has added additional toll,” Igali said.

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. “The overall effect is that power supply which had started picking up steadily since the beginning of the week, following repairs of various vandalised portions of the ELP Line and the Trans-Forcados Gas Pipelines has fallen to all-time-unprecedented low of 1,327m was at 1.00 p.m. on Friday, 22nd May, 2015. This situation could get worse if the strike action continues,” he added.

Source: Daily Trust