GENCOs: why Nigerians can’t have 4,500MW electricity

The Association of Power Generation Companies, APGC, has disclosed that it has the capacity to generate 12,000 megawatts, MW, of electricity, but stated that the distribution companies do not have the capacity to accommodate above 4,500 MW.

The Executive Secretary of the association, Joy Ogaji, who made this known said that the generation companies have an installed capacity that could provide 12,500 MW of power to satisfy the electricity needs of Nigerians.
According to her, “Then they have an available capacity of 8,000 MW. Out of that 8 ,000 MW, Transmission Company or the transporter that can take this power from us to give to the distribution has a capacity of maximum 5,500 , which is what they claim, but we believe they can ’t take more than 4,500.
“A system stress test that was conducted on the distribution lines shows that the distribution companies, DISCOs, can take a maximum of 4,600 MW.
“With the available capacity, I have 8 ,000 MW if I say okay, come and take no one can take ’’.

Speaking on current reduction in power generation despite its capacity to produce more, NAN reports the executive secretary as noting that paucity of funds hindered GENCOs from procuring gas to fire their power plants.
Her words, “For now we don’t have vandalism problem but inability to pay for gas. How do we pay for the gas (when) my people were paid a week ago for the electricity generated in January.
“And when they put 100 percent on the grid , maximally they have been paid 30 percent , of the money this is one of the issues.
“As we speak, the sector owes the generation companies about N600 billion, unpaid for power that have been generated and consumed already, about N 600 billion.”

Expressing the readiness of GENCOs to advance power generation in the country, Ogaji also said it was important to overhaul the transmission and distribution networks in the country to facilitate the supply of more electricity to Nigerians.
On the funds the Nigerian government promised to make available, she lamented that the funds have not been released, adding that “now Federal Government came to announce on March 1 , that they are bringing N 701 billion for the generation companies”.
“Where is this money… that N 701 billion where is the money; we have written to government, please show us where this money is,” the APGC scribe said.