The Federal Government is making frantic effort to clear the outstanding gas payments to power generation companies to resolve the current blackout being experienced in some parts of the country.
This was disclosed in a statement on Friday by the Special Adviser, Strategic Communication and Media Relations to the Minister of Power, Mr. Bolaji Tunji.
Mr. Tunji quoted the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu as saying that efforts are being made to ensure a quick resolution of the problem.
“In the past couple of weeks, there has been a significant downturn in the level of power supply to Nigerians. This is mainly due to a decreased level of gas supply to generation companies.
“This situation has led to a lower level of energy supplied to load centres, which has affected the supply of electricity to distribution companies.
“Efforts are on the way by the Federal Government to ensure outstanding payments are made to generation companies, to ensure improved gas supply and increased power generation, this will also enable distribution companies to supply more electricity to Nigerians. We acknowledge the current unsustainable situation, and we expect a turnaround immediately”, he said.
Recall that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Thursday attributed the gradual decrease in the available generation into the grid to gas constraints to the thermal generating companies, which it said, has impacted the quantum of bulk power available on the transmission grid for onward transmission to the distribution load centers nationwide.
It said, based on the current load on the grid, the load distributed to the distribution load centres has also reduced, as it could only transmit what is generated.
The company, however, assured that it is committed to ensuring a gradual increase in electricity supply to load centers as gas improves, to power available thermal plants.
