The CEO of Nigerian power generation company Egbin Power Plant, Mike Uzoigwe has said that the country will generate an additional 3879 megawatts (MW) of electric power by the end of 2013, given the positive outcomes at the new generation companies (GENCOs) in the country.
Nigerian daily, BusinessDay reports Uzoigwe disclosed this at a performance signing event hosted by the Ministry of Power in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, adding that the availability of gas for the thermal generating stations is key to realising this objective.
“Though our hydro plants will be available for maximum generation, water management will generally reduce generation from March 2013 until August when water inflow to the lakes would have built up to allow full generation from available units in the hydros. We have accelerated completion of National Independent Power Plants (NIPP) projects as well as 4000km of transmission lines,” he explained.
“Part of the highlights that will affect power supply profile in 2013 includes the completion of repair works on units at Egbin within the first quarter of 2013 bringing in an extra 200 megawatts,” he furthered.
Africa’s largest nation, Nigeria, with a population of over 150 million generates about 4000 MW of power annually; an insufficient amount that has prompted its government to deregulate its national power company and embarked on national independent power projects.
The Federal Government has signed performance contracts with all CEOs of generation, distribution, and transmission companies, including the regulatory, training and reform institutions; a move the Minister of State for Power, Zainab Kuchi has termed “remarkable.”
“Following a meeting in November between the honourable minister of state for power, the presidential task force and the CEO of all Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) successor generation companies (GENCOs), the capability and performance of all GENCOs’ status was reviewed and a total projected capability for fourth quarter (Q4) of 2012 was put at 2829 megawatts,” Uzoigwe explained.
“Further projections have been made for year 2013 taking into consideration the following factors: available capacity of each power station, plant overhaul and maintenance outage programme, recoverable capacity, expected water inflow to the hydro power reservoirs. It was concluded that generation from sector companies will be 3879 megawatts by end of 2013,” he said.
