Power generation remains at 5,500MW as Bayelsa gets regulatory authority

It appears Nigeria’s power grid is defying efforts to ramp up electricity supply to 6,000 megawatts, as electricity on the grid has been hovering around 5,500 MW for months. This came as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission transferred the regulatory market in Bayelsa State to the Bayelsa Electricity Regulatory Agency.

Our correspondent reports that while more states continue to get regulatory autonomy, power generation has refused to show any appreciable increase. In a notice on its social media handles on Monday, the commission said it transferred regulatory authority to Bayelsa in compliance with the amended 1999 Constitution and the Electricity Act 2023.

“In compliance with the amended Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electricity Act 2023 (Amended), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has issued an order to transfer regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Bayelsa State from the Commission to the Bayelsa State Electricity Regulatory Agency,” the commission said.

The transfer order by NERC directed Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company Plc to incorporate a subsidiary distribution company to assume responsibilities for intrastate supply and distribution of electricity in Bayelsa State from PHED.

PHED was also directed to complete the incorporation of PHED SubCo within 60 days from August 21, 2025. “The subcompany shall apply for and obtain a licence for the intrastate supply and distribution of electricity from BYERA, among other directives,” the commission said.

It concluded that all transfers envisaged by the order shall be completed by February 20, 2026. With this order, Bayelsa has joined states like Lagos, Imo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Enugu, Niger, Edo, Oyo, and Plateau, which have the power to regulate electricity markets.

The state can now generate, transmit, and distribute electricity while issuing licences to investors within the value chain. However, it was observed that promises of power stability have yet to come to fruition.

Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of Power, promised to raise power generation to 6,000 MW before the end of 2024, but this was not achieved. On March 5, Adelabu disclosed that power generation increased to a new high of 6,003 due to the Band A tariff increase, with an assurance that this would get to 7,000 MW. However, the feat could not be sustained for a few days.

In a report, NERC said Nigeria’s power plants recorded an average available capacity of 5,577 MW in July 2025, despite an installed capacity of 13,625 MW. The commission’s July factsheet showed that the figure represents a plant availability factor of 41%, with a 5% decline from June 2025.

Average hourly generation during the month was 4,340 megawatt-hours per hour, a marginal 0.3% increase from June, while the average load factor stood at 78%, slightly lower by 3%. The report showed that the majority of the power plants are performing way below their capacities.

A breakdown of the largest energy producers showed that Egbin, with 1,320 MW installed capacity, had an average available capacity of 717 MW, representing a 54% availability factor. Delta recorded 482 MW out of 900 MW (54%), while Kainji posted 360 MW out of 760 MW (47%).

On the other hand, Odukpani recorded 209MW available out of 625MW (33%); Zungeru, 199MW out of 650MW (31%); and Afam 2, 202MW out of 625MW (33%).

Some of the highest availability factors were reported at Jebba, which produced 372 MW out of 461 MW (77%); Okpai 1 supplied 471 MW out of 578 MW (81%), and Ihovbor 2 produced 449 MW out of 461 MW (97%).

For other grid-connected plants, Alaoji 1, with 500 MW installed, recorded zero availability, while Afam 1 delivered 0.11 MW out of 726 MW capacity. Sapele Steam, with 720 MW installed, had 21 MW available (3%), and Sapele 2 recorded 92 MW out of 500 MW (18%).

NERC’s report also showed grid frequency averaged 50.64 Hz at the upper limit and 49.42 Hz at the lower limit, while grid voltage stood at 347.87 kV at the upper bound and 301.10 kV at the lower, which was 4 per cent below the limit of 313.50 kV.

Jennifer Adighije, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, said prior to August 2024, power plants such as Ihovbor, Alaoji, and Omotosho were recording Plant Availability Factors below 5%.

She said her team initiated a strategic intervention, targeting recovery of idle turbine units by engaging the original equipment manufacturers and parts suppliers while building an in-house response and harnessing commercial relationships with gas suppliers to secure a stable gas supply to the power plants.

“The result is that we have successfully recovered five generating turbine units across the fleet, restoring 625 megawatts to active contribution to the national grid. Alaoji Power Plant, which had hitherto remained dormant for an extended period, is now set to come on stream in a matter of weeks,” the NDPHC boss said in a recent interview.

The convener of PowerUp Nigeria, Adetayo Adegbemle, said power supply issues remain a challenge. “Of course, power is a challenge. However, we do not expect state regulatory autonomy to kick into effect immediately. It will take some time to mature.

“This does not, however, mean that the national regulatory commission should not look into policies that help increase power generation or energy uptake. This is another reason I keep calling the Minister of Power out for his lack of policy leadership for the sector; even the National Integrated Electricity Policy is almost as if it does not exist,” Adegbemle said.