The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced the temporary shutdown of Nigeria’s largest thermal generating station, Egbin Power Station, leading to electricity outages in specific regions of the country. The shutdown is reportedly due to maintenance work required to address a gas pipeline leak.
In a statement dated Monday, December 18, the TCN explained that the maintenance work on the gas pipeline, which supplies gas to the power station, necessitated the temporary closure of Egbin Power Station. As a result, a decrease of 676MW of power supplied to the national grid is expected for a duration of 72 hours.
The statement read, “This is to notify the public that as of 11:13 hours on December 18, 2023, the Egbin Power generating station was shut down to allow the Nigeria Gas Company (NGC) to maintain a linking gas pipeline supplying gas. The station will be shut down for three days from today (Monday). This means a reduction of 676MW of bulk power generated into the nation’s grid for three days and consequently the quantum of bulk power available to be delivered to distribution companies’ load centres.”
Egbin Power Plant, located in Lagos, holds a significant installed capacity of 1,320 MW for the country’s National grid. The temporary disruption in power generation underscores the importance of routine maintenance in ensuring the reliability and efficiency of power infrastructure, even though it may lead to temporary inconveniences for consumers.
