In the third quarter of 2023, Nigeria observed a notable 5.20% upswing in hydropower supply, as per data released by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
The hydropower contribution surged from 20.29% (1,798.82 GWh) in the second quarter to 25.49% (2,208.47 GWh) in the third quarter, aligning with the expected energy composition during the rainy season. This increase is attributed to enhanced water availability, enabling hydropower plants to maintain consistent electricity production.
The National Control Centre (NCC) played a pivotal role in managing daily water levels across hydropower plants, ensuring their smooth operation even during drier months. This approach is crucial for stabilizing the national grid, ensuring a continuous and reliable energy supply throughout the year from hydropower plants.
However, the NERC report highlighted challenges in Q3/2023, including a lack of reliable gas supply to plants due to infrastructure constraints on the national gas network and ineffective Gas Supply Agreements (GSA). Total electricity generated in the quarter was 8,664.82 GWh, reflecting a -2.28% decrease compared to Q2/2023. Eleven grid-connected power plants recorded decreases, mainly due to reduced available capacity and gas constraints impacting thermal plants.
The report also disclosed that 148,389 meters were installed during Q3/2023, marking an 18.04% decrease from Q2 installations. The Meter Asset Provider (MAP) framework led with 147,736 installations, while the National Mass Metering Program (NMMP) contributed 207 installations. Customer complaints during this period primarily centered around metering, billing, and service interruptions, constituting more than 78% of total complaints.
