Lagos, Jun 20 (DIN NEWS)<\/b> Football-loving Nigerians had more than one reason to groan about the country’s opening World Cup game: not only did they lose 2-0, many weren’t even able to see the whole match.<\/p>\n
Some viewers complained that seasonal rains affected the signal to the satellite television channel broadcasting Saturday’s match against Croatia.<\/p>\n
Then, the power went off completely.<\/p>\n
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said six power plants were shut down to prevent the “collapse” of the national grid following a pipeline failure and unspecified “technical issues”.<\/p>\n
For two days, the grid lost 1,087 megawatts of electricity. By Tuesday, generation had recovered to 3,876.9 MW following repairs of the ruptured pipeline.<\/p>\n
The TCN said gas was “gradually building up in most generating stations and in a day or two days it is expected that gas and power supply would be back to normal”.<\/p>\n
But the widespread blackout, which forced those who could afford it to turn to expensive diesel-powered generators, once again highlighted Nigeria’s perennial electricity problem.<\/p>\n
Despite churning out some 1.8 million barrels of crude every day and being Africa’s largest oil exporter, Nigeria can barely keep its light on.<\/p>\n
Installed capacity is 7,000 MW but actual production for a country of more than 180 million has hovered between 2,500 and 5,000 MW, according to TCN data.<\/p>\n
Economic rival South Africa in comparison generates 45,000 MW for 53 million people.<\/p>\n
“In the past 10 years, we have heard our policymakers say their target is… 10,000 MW,” said Obioma Onyi-Ogelle, from Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, southern Nigeria.<\/p>\n
“This is grossly inadequate because we believe Nigeria requires at least 50,000 MW to meet its needs,” Onyi-Ogelle, who teaches energy and natural resources law, told Africa Check in March.<\/p>\n
– Power deficit –<\/p>\n
=================<\/p>\n
Gas thermal plants generate about 85 percent of Nigeria’s power while hydro-electricity supply the rest. Several projects are in the pipeline to boost production.<\/p>\n
But they will add only about 5,000 MW to installed capacity.<\/p>\n
Shortages of gas, plus sabotage and vandalism of pipelines in the meantime has cut supply to the country’s 22 gas thermal power plants and three hydro plants.<\/p>\n
Peak production is just 5,156 MW, attained in December 2017.<\/p>\n
Since 2010, though, the underfunded, creaking national grid has collapsed nearly 200 times, according to data obtained from the power ministry in Abuja.<\/p>\n
The World Bank estimates about 75 million Nigerians — over 40 percent of the population — do not have access to regular electricity.<\/p>\n
In 2005, then-president Olusegun Obasanjo unbundled the state-run Power Holding Company of Nigeria into dozens of privately run generating and distribution companies (GenCos and DisCos).<\/p>\n
The government retained control of transmission.<\/p>\n
Previous administrations are believed to have spent between 11 billion and 16 billion on the power sector but without tangible results.<\/p>\n
President Muhammadu Buhari, who has promised to increase generation to 10,000 MW, last month accused his predecessors of wasting public funds on the sector, as he singled out Obasanjo.<\/p>\n
“Where is the power?” Buhari asked.<\/p>\n
Obasanjo dismissed the insinuations of corruption as “unsubstantiated”.<\/p>\n
– ‘Paying for darkness’ –<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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