» FG Raises Alarm Over Dwindling Electricity Supply, Power Plants Shutdown

Abuja – The Federal Government on Friday in
Abuja raised alarm over dwindling and epileptic
electricity supply across the country.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Mr
Godknows Igali, made this known after a meeting
with Vice-President Namadi Sambo to State
House correspondents in Abuja.
Igali, and Prof. Chinedu Nebo, Minister of Power,
had briefed Sambo on the state of power
generation, transmission and distribution in the
country.
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He said the ongoing strike by Petroleum and
Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria
(PENGASSAN) and the National Union of
Petroleum and Natural Gas had further worsened
the power supply situation.
The workers were protesting the transfer of the
operatorship of the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 42 to
two indigenous companies, claiming the move
would affect the fortunes of NPDC and its staff.
“With the strike which has gone on for one or
two days there is dramatic turn as of this
afternoon we have gone down for the all time
low to 1,327 megawatts.
“So, if you look at it from 4,800 there is dramatic
turn, the loss is terrible,’’ Igali said.
He said as at 12 noon May 22, 2015, Utorogu,
CHEVRON ORE DO, OB EN gas plants were all
shutdown while UGHELI and CNL ESCRAVOS
were already isolated.
He said, “on the eastern axis Shell Gas, ALAKIRI
has also been shutdown. This has led to the
several power plants being stranded and
shutdown.
“This includes EGBIN, OLORUNSHOGO I & 11,
OMOTOSHO 1& 11, GEREGU I & 11, IHONVOR and
SAPELE (NIPP) on the western axis and ALAOJI on
the eastern end.’’
According to him, besides, pipeline vandalism
which has continued to have very negative
impact on the power supply situation in the
country, the ongoing strike by the labour unions
in the oil and gas sector has added additional toll.
“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. May22, 2015.
He, therefore, warned that “situation could get
worse if the strike continues’’.
Igali expressed the hope that the ongoing
discussion between the Federal Ministry of
Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation and, the labour unions,
would end amicably.
“Indeed, it is hoped the labour unions will help
restore supply of gas to the power plants even
while negotiation are ongoing.’’(NAN)