Pipeline Vandalism : Shortage of Gas Supplies Threatens Power Generation.

The attacks on the Escravos–Warri-Lagos Pipeline may lead to significant drop in power generation as a result of disruption of gas supply to power stations in Olorunsogo in Ogun State, Geregu in Kogi State, Omotosho in Ondo State and Egbin Power Stationin Lagos State, THISDAY has learnt.
Already, an engineering team from the Nigerian NationalPetroleum Corporation (NNPC) has been sent to ascertain the impact, as well as the implications of the multiple breaks on the gas pipeline.
The pipeline was blown-up Thursday night at multiple points in Opudebubor, Okpelama and Kpokpo area, as well as Chanomi creek and Sahara, near Chevron platforms with reports linkingit to resumed militancy in the delta.
It was gathered that the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline, owned and operated by the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), a subsidiary of the NNPC, also supplies crude oil to Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company, as well as gas feedstocks to the West Africa Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo), West African Portland Cement Plants at Shagamu and Ewekoro in Ogun State, PZ Industries at Ikorodu, and City Gate in lkeja, Lagos.
It was not however clear if the section of the pipeline impacted would affect gas supply to these companies and crude oil to the Warri Refinery.
But the Group General Manager in charge of Group Public Affairs Division of NNPC, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, told THISDAY yesterday that the attacks would affect gas supplyto some power stations.
He however stated thathe was notsure if it would lead to complete shutdownof the affected power stations.
THISDAY gathered that the 1,320 megawatt-capacity Egbin Power Stationin Lagos receives all its feedstocks through the Escravos-Lagos pipeline system, which has a capacity of 800 million standard cubic feet per day of gas (MMscfd).
Also the 434megwatt capacity Geregu 1 Power Station in Kogi State, and the Geregu NIPP Plant, which has the same installed capacity rely on Escravos pipeline for gas supply.
Others include Olorunsogo Power Plants 1 and 2 in Ogun State; and OmotoshoPower Plants 1 and 2 in Ondo State.
When asked how soon NNPC would repair the pipelines, Alegbe said, “the attack has just happened.”
“I will get in touch with NGC to find outtheir plans to repair the pipeline. But it has just happened. It happened yesterday morning,” Alegbe added.
Until a thorough assessment of the causes and impacts of the attacks are conducted engineering team dispatched to the scene of the attacks, nothing concrete can be made out of the development for now, another NNPC source said.
“We are careful to manage the situation. We do not want to say anything different from what the technical team which is already on ground will eventually find out,” the source added.
The source further added: “When the team concludes their initial examinations, we are sure the situation will be clearer for us to make a definite judgement and from which we would know what next to do and how much of impact thisis on the system”
A source at NGC, who declined to be named because he was not authorized to speak on the issue, told THISDAY that before the latest attack by suspected militants, the Escravos pipeline; Escravos Tank Farm, as well as the Abiteye Flowstation had been vandalised several times by the Gbaramatu and Ugborode communities in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.
“Each time they want to agitate for a better deal from NNPC and Chevron Nigeria Limited, they vandalise the facilities. But this latest incident was a destructive attack by suspected militants,” he added.
Meanwhile, reports on the country’s current electricity generation capacity indicate that actual electricity generated as at last Wednesday was 4,019.07 megawatts (MW), while 3,936.26MW was sent out to the transmission network for distribution to industries and householdsin the country.