'Bear with us' - FG finally speaks on reason for nationwide blackout as major power plant shuts down

The Egbin Power Station, one of Nigeria's largest thermal stations, has been shut down temporarily to allow for maintenance work on critical gas pipelines.

The shutdown commenced around 11.13 hours on Monday, December 18, 2023, and is expected to last for three days, causing significant power outages nationally.

Egbin power station is critical for the national grid

The power station adds about 676MW of bulk power to the national grid.

Nairametrics reports that the shutdown allows the Nigeria Gas Company (NGC) to perform critical maintenance on the facility's gas pipeline.

The work is essential to ensure a long-term, reliable, safe power supply system.

The temporary shutdown of the Egbin Power Station will significantly reduce the power available to distribution companies and load centres nationwide.

According to a statement by the power station, Nigerians will experience limited power supply, load shedding, and rationing in some areas.

The station plans a day outage

It stated: "This is to notify the general public that as of 11:13 hours of December 18, 2023, Egbin Power generating station was shut down to allow the Nigeria Gas Company (NGC) to maintain linking gas pipelines supplying gas to Egbin Power station."

"The station will be shut down for three days from today."

"This means a reduction of 676MW of bulk power generated into the nation's grid for three days consequently the quantum of bulk power available to be delivered to distribution companies load centres nationwide for the period" Egin Power Station.