Grid breaches frequency, voltage limits in October, crops use 85% of capability –  NERC

Nigeria’s nationwide grid operated exterior prescribed frequency and voltage limits in October, at the same time as energy crops used 85 per cent of their obtainable technology capability, in response to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

The fee disclosed this in its October 2026 Operational Performance Factsheet, revealed on Wednesday. The doc breaks down how grid-connected energy crops carried out in the course of the month.

Average obtainable capability stood at 4,744 megawatts (MW), whereas common hourly technology was 4,047MW. That means about 697MW of obtainable capability went unused on common, a spot that factors to constraints past plant readiness.

Among the crops, Jebba_1 recorded the very best load issue at 99 per cent, producing 423MW in opposition to 429MW obtainable. Omotosho_1 adopted with 179MW out of 183MW, whereas Afam_2 delivered 371MW out of 395MW, a 94 per cent load issue.

Grid stability information was much less encouraging. The common decrease grid frequency for the month was 49.46 hertz (Hz), whereas the typical higher frequency was 50.66Hz. Both fall exterior the operational band of 49.75Hz to 50.25Hz prescribed for the grid.

The decrease studying sat 0.29Hz beneath the ground, whereas the higher studying overshot the ceiling by 0.41Hz.

Voltage figures adopted the identical sample. The month-to-month common decrease grid voltage was 305.00 kilovolts (kV), in opposition to a minimal restrict of 313.50kV. The common higher voltage was 353.94kV, above the 346.50kV most.

Frequency and voltage are core indicators of grid well being. Persistent deviations increase the danger of kit stress and system disturbances, points which have traditionally been linked to grid collapses within the nation’s energy sector.

The factsheet is a part of NERC’s routine publication of efficiency information on the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI). The fee directed readers to its web site for additional particulars.

The October figures add to considerations concerning the reliability of the grid, at the same time as operators report comparatively excessive utilisation of the capability obtainable to them.

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