Power distribution companies have stepped up the quantum of electricity load allocation that they receive and distribute to consumers across the country, as the latest data from the Federal Government showed a reduction in the amount of unutilised energy by the Discos.

Data released on Thursday by the Federal Government-owned Transmission Company of Nigeria on Daily Discos Load Summary from February 4 to 10, 2023, showed that the cumulatively excess load allocation that was taken and distributed by the Discos during the period was 897MW.

The report, however, indicated that the total quantum of energy that was not utilised during the same period was 407.53MW.

Nigeria’s daily power generation has been hovering between 4,500MW and 5,000MW for some weeks now. As of 6am on Thursday, for instance, it was 4,753.9MW.

Power distributors get around this quantum of electricity from TCN for distribution to customers daily. Some of the Discos accept higher than their maximum load nomination (excess load), while others take less than what they nominate for, depending on various factors.

The 11 Discos captured by the Transmission Company of Nigeria in its latest daily load summary include Abuja, Benin, Eko, Enugu, Ibadan, Ikeja, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, Port Harcourt and Yola.

An analysis of data for the 11 Discos indicated that on February 4, seven of the power firms took a cumulative excess load allocation of 97.96MW, while four others could not utilise a total of 63.68MW.

On February 5, six power firms took a total excess load allocation of 91.62MW, while the remaining five failed to utilise 110.73MW.

The next day, being February 6, seven Discos distributed an excess load allocation of 83.92MW, as four others did not take 59.14MW.

TCN said six power distributors accepted a cumulative excess load allocation of 72.95MW on February 7, but noted that a total of 70.49MW was not utilised by five other Discos on the same day.

Further analysis by our correspondent indicated that only two Discos failed to utilise all the load allocation that was allocated to them on February 8, as they could not distribute a total of 25.08MW that day.

However, an excess load of 165.97MW was taken and distributed by nine distribution companies on February 8, according to figures from the transmission company.

The situation improved on February 9, as it was observed that all the 11 Discos collected and distributed excess power, amounting to the tune of 282.26MW on that day. Hence, no quantum of electricity was left unutilised on February 9, 2023.

But this could not be sustained on February 10, as four Discos failed to utilise 78.41MW, while seven other power distributors took a cumulative excess load allocation of 102.33MW.

Officials in the Discos explained that unutilised load by power distributors was often caused by the refusal of some customers to pay their electricity bills, as well as issues bordering on energy theft in some locations.

They stated that Discos preferred not to send power to areas with customers who refuse to pay their electricity bills, as well as locations that were notorious for energy theft, and as such, the energy meant for these areas would be left unutilised.

Punch