Power generations in Nigeria dropped to 2,943MW on Sunday as power outage persisted in several cities all over Nigeria.

This is as result of several power plants numbering ten that were shut down as at Sunday. This has resulted to persistent darkness in several parts of the country.

According to data from the National Electricity System Operator, Total power generation fell to 2,943.4MW as at Sunday from 3585.6MW on Saturday.

The affected plants were Sapele (steam), Sapele II, Alaoji, Olorunsogo II, Omotosho II, Ihovbor, Gbarain, Ibom Power, AES and ASCO.

According to a report from Punch Newspaper, the shutdown of the power plants was attributed to gas constraint, low load demand by the distribution companies, maintenance, frequency response and rupturing of gas pipeline.

Egbin, the nation’s biggest power station, located in Lagos, produced 503MW as of 6am on Sunday, down from 521MW on Saturday.

Two of the three hydropower plants in the country produced less electricity on Sunday than they did the previous day, according to the system operator.

Electricity generation from Kainji and Shiroro hydropower stations fell to 139MW and 109MW respectively as of 6am on Sunday from 273MW and 112MW the previous day. Jebba’s output rose slightly to 151MW from 150MW.

A total of 2124.6MW generation capacity was unused as of 6am on Sunday as a result of line constraints (220MW), low demand by Discos (1,623.6MW) and water management (281MW), according to the NESO.

The nation generates most of its electricity from gas-fired power plants while output from hydropower plants makes up about 30 per cent of the total generation.

The system operator put the nation’s installed generation capacity at 12,910.40MW; available capacity at 7,652.60MW; transmission wheeling capacity at 8,100MW; and the peak generation ever attained at 5,375MW.