The Association of Nigeria Electricity Distributors (ANED) on Wednesday faulted claim by Minister of Power Mamman Sale that electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) evacuate only 3,000Megawatts (MW) out of the 7,000MW wheeled by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
ANED is the umbrella body of the DisCos.
“Nigeria currently generates 13,000 MW of electricity, it transmits 7,000 to DisCos while the distribution companies can only distribute 3,000 megawatts to end users,” Sale had said.
Dismissing the claim, ANED said at no time did the country generate 13,000 MW electricity and at most only 5,375 MW was ever generated.
“As such, references to TCN’s ability to transmitting ‘…7,000 to Discos…’ is inaccurate and misleading. TCN’s attestations of a transmission capacity of 8,100 MW is based on nothing more than a computer simulation and not tested, proven or practical capacity,” a statement released by the body read in part.
Continued: “Maximum Available Capacity to Date for generation, indicated in the NCC report on the date (February 20, 2020) of the honourable minister’s comments was 7,652.2 MW. Thus, raising a question as to the basis for the minister’s reference to 13,000MW of generation.
“Indeed, of the available generation capacity, 1,500MW continues to be constrained by lack of gas, given that twenty-five (25) out of 28 generating plants are thermal plants that are fuelled by gas. Grid and hydro issues provide additional constraints to generation availability.
“In simple terms, the DisCos can only deliver the energy that is transmitted or wheeled to them by TCN, based on the amount generated.”
