Power out after fire in Nigeria

Emele Onu and Yinka Ibukun

A Nigerian pipeline fire interrupted gas supplies to companies generating more than 3 000 megawatts in Africa’s most populous nation, the government said.

The fire at Escravos-Lagos pipeline, owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), in the southern Edo State shut down gas supply to the 1 320-megawatt Egbin power plant, the nation’s biggest, and five others, according to the power, works and housing ministry. The interruption tripped the national transmission grid.

Most of Nigeria’s power is from thermal generation. The gas produced by oil and gas companies is delivered to power stations through pipelines owned and operated by Nigerian Gas Processing and Transportation Company, a unit of state-owned NNPC. Electricity production in Africa’s biggest oil producer is hampered by inadequate gas supply and power infrastructure. The nation of about 180 million people generated a record 7 000 megawatts in December, 5 155 megawatts of which was distributed, the ministry said. South Africa, with a third of the population, has capacity to make more than 40 000 megawatts.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria, which owns and operates the national grid, and the generating companies are working to restore operations. – Bloomberg

Interruption trips national transmission grid