The Minister of Power, Prof. Bart Nnaji, has blamed the dip in electricity supply across the country in the last one month on low water level in the dams supplying water to the three hydro power stations in Kainji, Jebba and Shiroro.

He also blamed the situation on the shortage of gas supply to the thermal stations.

Nnaji said in a statement, “It is our tough luck that we are experiencing our worst water levels in 10 years because of the poor rainy season last year in neighbouring countries from which we derive black flood for the hydro plants.

“The white flood refers to flood derived during the rainy season in Nigeria, which gets to its climax in July of every year, unlike the black flood, which gets to its peak in November.”

The minister explained that thermal power plants were built in the past without proper arrangements for either gas pipelines or gas supply.

“There was little coordination between the Ministry of Power and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the agencies under them for the provision of gas,” he said.

He added that a bi-ministerial committee was established in February, which has been meeting monthly to review developments in gas supply to the power sector, and promised that Nigerians would soon notice a gradual and steady improvement in power availability.

He said, “A minimum of 1,000 Megawatts will be added this year to the quantum of 4,400MW, which we achieved in January, and all will be put on the national grid because of the immense work done on the transmission network.

“The future of Nigeria’s power sector is quite rosy, in spite of the temporary setback we are facing. This is why global companies like General Electric, Siemens and Daewoo are keenly participating in the ongoing power reform programme.”

Nnaji also urged contractors involved in the execution of projects to speak up on their challenges in meeting their respective deadlines.

Nnaji said, “I paid an unscheduled visit to the facility to see things for myself, rather than being satisfied with mere assurances from contractors and other stakeholders. From the look of things, the switchyard will be ready in May and the transmission infrastructure through which power generated from the NIPP Lot 19 will be evacuated will be ready in June.

“General Electric, the contracting firm handling the four units, has promised that each unit will be inaugurated every month from June if it is provided with electricity to complete the job as soon as possible.”