Nationwide power rationing starts today

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has said that there will be reduction in generation output by 400 megawatts from Monday through Saturday.

The action is informed by the need for Shell Petroleum Development Company’s (SPDC) scheduled maintenance work on Okoloma gas plant supplying gas to Afam VI power plant, thereby leading to the shutdown of the power plant, resulting in nationwide power rationing for six days.

According to TCN, the shutdown of Afam VI power plant became necessary to allow SPDC inspect and carry out routine maintenance work on the Okoloma natural gas station in Afam, Rivers State, to ensure its technical integrity.

Maintenance work on Okoloma gas plant, SPDC revealed, is important to guarantee continuous and uninterrupted supply of gas to Afam VI for power generation into the national grid.

TCN says it sincerely regrets inconveniences the six-day power rationing will cause the Federal Govability ernment and its highly esteemed electricity consumers nationwide, and assured that the maintenance work is in line with the present administration’s efforts to improve power supply in the country.

The Federal Government formally handed over the physical assets of all 14 PHCN successor-companies to their new owners on Friday.

Vice President Namadi Sambo, who handed over the stations, said that the participation of the private sector would bring about higher generation capacity.

Sambo said that thehanding over would bring about cost effective power stations and improvement in electricity distribution.

The Federal Government handed over Egbin, Ikeja and Eko electricity distribution companies in Lagos State to the new investors.

According to him, the handover concludes the transactions for the four generation companies and 10 distribution companies.

He said the challenges facing the electricity sector in Nigeria are enormous, “but we are equally convinced that the opportunities in the sector are enormous”.