Power Sector Update: NERC Reports 4,102 MWh Generation for February Amid Persistent Capacity Gaps

Marginal Gains in Grid Dispatch

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has released its latest Operational Performance Fact Sheet, revealing that grid-connected power plants achieved an average hourly generation of 4,102 megawatt-hours (MWh) throughout the month of February. The data, published on Friday in Abuja, indicates that while the available capacity was almost entirely utilised, a significant portion of the nation’s installed infrastructure remains dormant.

The commission highlighted a high "Load Factor" of 93 per cent, suggesting that the System Operator successfully dispatched nearly all the electricity that the generating companies (GenCos) were able to make available to the national grid during the period.

The Availability Deficit: 32% Factor

Despite a massive total installed generation capacity of 13,625 MW, the report paints a sobering picture of the industry’s technical health. On average, only 4,384 MW was actually available for dispatch onto the grid at any given time during February.

Key Performance Metrics:

  • Plant Availability Factor (PAF): Stood at a low 32 per cent, meaning nearly 70 per cent of Nigeria's installed power capacity was offline due to maintenance, gas supply constraints, or technical faults.

  • Available Capacity: Averaged 4,384 MW, representing the total volume of power the GenCos were ready to produce.

  • Actual Generation: Averaged 4,102 MWh, reflecting the hourly energy actually transmitted to the Distribution Companies (DisCos).

Technical Analysis: Efficiency vs. Capacity

The high utilisation rate (93%) of the available power is a positive indicator of coordination between the GenCos and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). However, the chronic inability to bridge the gap between "Installed Capacity" and "Available Capacity" remains the primary bottleneck for the Nigerian power sector. The 32 per cent Availability Factor suggests that the majority of Nigeria's power plants are either aging or suffering from a lack of critical feedstock, particularly natural gas.

For the average Nigerian consumer, these figures explain the persistent load shedding experienced across the federation. While the grid is operating efficiently with what it has, the "pool" of available power remains insufficient to meet a national demand estimated to be well over 20,000 MW.

"The available capacity was largely utilised... indicating that most of the available generation capacity was dispatched to the national grid, but only 32 per cent of installed capacity was available." — NERC Operational Fact Sheet