As Nigerians continue to suffer electricity blackout that is inimical to economic and social activities, the power ministry says it is working to ensure outstanding payments are made to power generation companies to resolve the blackout.
The Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, in Abuja on Friday attributed the blackout being experienced in the country to low supply of gas to power generating companies.
He said that the payments were to ensure improved gas supply and increased power generation.
“This will also enable distribution companies to supply more electricity to Nigerians.
“We acknowledge the current unsustainable situation, and we expect a turnaround immediately,” he said.
The minister said that efforts are being made to ensure quick resolution of the blackout being experienced in the country.
According to the minister, in the past couple of weeks, there has been a significant downturn in the level of power supply to Nigerians.
He said that the situation had adversely affected production leading to blackout in some parts of the country.
“This is mainly due to a decreased level of gas supply to generation companies.
“This situation has led to a lower level of energy supplied to load centres, which has affected supply of electricity to distribution companies,” he said.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), had attributed the gradual decrease in available generation into the grid to gas constraints to the thermal generating companies,
It also said that the decrease has impacted the quantum of bulk power available on the transmission grid, for onward transmission to the distribution load centres nationwide.
Mrs Ndidi Mbah, TCN’S General Manager Public Affairs said this in a statement in Abuja.
According to her, the company is doing everything possible in collaborating with stakeholders in the power sector.
She said that this is to ensure that it continues to keep the grid intact in spite of the current low power generated into the system.
”Consequent upon the current load on the grid, load distributed to the distribution load centres have also reduced, as TCN can only transmit what is generated.
”TCN is committed to ensuring a gradual increase in electricity supply to load centres as gas improves to power available thermal plants.
”Please bear with us as we continue to work with the stakeholders in the value chain to ensure that supply through distribution companies to electricity consumers nationwide improves,” she said.
