With commercial gas reserves, Nigeria is expected to be self sufficient in gas supply to its thermal power plants. But CHIDI UGWU, who examines why the feat has not been achieved, reports that the delay in the passage of Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB into law has impacted negatively on the nation’s gas master plan which aimed at delivering more gas for different purposes, especially power generation.
As a major gas province with estimated 187 trillion standard cubic feet of gas and several gas-powered power plants, the world expected Nigeria to generate adequate electricity, capable of meeting the demand of its citizens and other nationals. The plants, including AES barge, Aba power plant, Afam 1V, V and V1, Olaoji power plant, Calabar power plant, Egbema power plant, Egbin power plant, Geregu 1 and 2 power plant, Ibom power plant, Ihovbor power plant, Olorunsogo 1 and 2, Okpai power plant, Omoku 1 and 2, Omotosho 1 and II and Sapele have the capacity to generate commercial megawatts of electricity.
But this has not been the case at least for a reason. The nation has not yet developed sufficient gas for utilization in the power sector. In fact, where gas abound, the nation lacks adequate infrastructure, especially pipeline to deliver the product to the power plants. Consequently, Nigeria still flares about 40per cent of the natural gas it produces and re-injects 12per cent to enhance oil recovery while the power plants are undersupplied with gas.
The Federal Government is aware of the seriousness of the situation. The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo attributed the drop in power generation to low gas supply to the generation plants, especially in eastern Nigeria where three power stations in the region: Afam IV, Afam VI, and Rivers Independent Power Plant, were shut down some time ago, as a result of gas constraint. Nebo put total generation loss from the stations at 624mw, with the Olorunsogo power station also down due to low gas pressure, as a result of which 89mw of power was lost.
Investigations showed that the problem of epileptic gas supply perennially experienced by Nigeria’ s gas-fired power stations remains a major barrier to progress. While the nation can generate an average of a little above 4, 000mw per day, power generation often drops to less than 2,000 mw when gas supply is reduced by the Nigerian Gas Company, NGC, especially whenever the gas level is low at the nation’s hydro power stations.
Available data showed that many power stations experience different levels of gas shortage. For instance, the Omotosho, Papalanto and Geregu power stations are said to be currently working far below capacity because of inadequate supply of gas to them. The Lagos Thermal Station, Egbin, has also many times generated at a quarter of its installed capacity due to the same problem.
