The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) has attributed the decline in electricity generation on the national grid to gas supply constraints affecting thermal power plants and reduced water inflows into reservoirs supplying hydroelectric stations.
The operator said the two constraints had reduced available generation, forcing lower electricity allocations to Distribution Companies (DisCos) and resulting in fewer hours of supply and increased load shedding across distribution networks.
In a statement on Thursday, NISO explained that limited gas availability had prevented some thermal power stations from operating at their available capacity, while reduced water inflows had affected the output of hydroelectric plants.
The clarification comes as electricity generation on the national grid dropped to 449.20 megawatts as of 11am on Thursday, November 5, according to operational data on NISO’s grid portal.
Only four generation companies were actively supplying electricity at the time, with several major thermal and hydroelectric stations recording zero output.
NISO said the impact of the generation shortfall varied across the country, depending on the volume of electricity available and the corresponding allocations to individual DisCos.
The operator acknowledged the effect of the situation on electricity consumers, particularly the reduction in supply hours and increased load shedding across distribution networks.
It said it was working towards diversifying the energy mix feeding the national grid to strengthen electricity supply security.
NISO added that it remained committed to maintaining grid stability, optimising the dispatch of available generation and ensuring the secure, reliable and efficient operation of the national grid within prevailing operational constraints.
