Power generation in the country plunged to 2 , 390 . 20 megawatts on Monday as the number of idle power plants rose from seven to 15, according to the latest data from the Federal Ministry of Power , Works and Housing .
Total electricity generation has been hovering below 4 , 000 MW in recent months and stood at 3 , 741 . 30MW as of 6 am on Sunday .

The nation generates most of its electricity from gas -fired power plants, while output from hydropower plants makes up about 30 per cent of the total .

But the three hydropower plants accounted for more than 50 per cent of the electricity generated as of 6 am on Monday, with Kainji , Jebba and Shiroro producing 366 MW , 354 MW and 494 MW , respectively .
Egbin , the biggest power station in the country , saw its output drop to 176 MW on Monday from 306 MW on Saturday .

The idle plants are Sapele , Afam IV & V, Geregu , Omotosho , Geregu NIPP , Alaoji , Omotosho NIPP , Odukpani NIPP , Ihovbor NIPP , Gbarain NIPP , Okpai , Afam VI , AES , ASCO and Rivers IPP .

The PUNCH had reported on Monday that electricity generation companies in the country were saying that their plants were being forced to operate below their optimal capacity levels .

The Executive Secretary , Association of Power Generation Companies, the umbrella body for the Gencos , Dr Joy Ogaji , in an emailed response to questions from our correspondent , attributed the problem to transmission and distribution .

She said, “Specifically , generation companies are pinned down by some operational impediments . The frequency of instructions to either increase load or decrease load ( ramp up and ramp down) and , in some cases, shut down, has induced damaging stresses to the components of the machines .

“These instructions, reflective of the grid behaviour , are subjecting key electrical components of the power plants to operational stresses. Our available generation has always been steady between 7 , 500 MW and 8 , 000 MW ; you can check the records at the National Control Centre , Osogbo . ”