As at May 1999, just 30 per cent of the population of Nigeria enjoyed electricity supply.Then , the total installed generating capacity emanating from the 8 power stations was 5, 876 Megawatts(MW), while 476 MW were withdrawn due to its obsolete nature and the dearth of spare parts.
Also during this period, just 1,600 MW which was 27.3 per cent of installed capacity was actually generated out of the available capacity of 5,400 MW.
In addition the transmission grid comprised of 5,000 km of 330 KV lines and 6,000 km of 132 KV lines.
This consisted of several long radial lines with few duplicated lines, which was supposed to have provided alternative routes for power supply during maintenance. A sizable number of the lines were heavily loaded.
Sadly, the transmission lines were not expanded when the rural electrification program commenced , which resulted in very low electricity voltage in the rural areas.
Of note, was that most of the generating units and associated equipment were obsolete and had functioned far beyond their active period.
Trailing this situation was the absence of rehabilitation and necessary repairs of the generating units.
The then administration in the country had identified generation capacity and transmission as the areas of urgent attention, while at the same time placing an order for over 1,000 distribution and power transformers to act as relief for the overloaded transformers.
The expectations of Nigerians is that since the power sub-sector has been privatized, it ought to have been restructured and reformed to enable the citizenry to enjoy steady, reliable and regular electricity supply, but events in the sub-sector suggest otherwise.
Indeed, the hike in electricity tariffs is the major agenda of the Electricity Distribution Companies(DISCO) alongside their sympathizers in government.
This is even as insensitivity, extortion and open deceit now characterize the strange relationship between distraught consumers and the DISCOs.
Indeed, most businesses have been grounded while others which managed to survive have relocated to other countries as a result of the worsening state of electricity supply.
Of worry is the fact that cultists, who assemble in several, hotels, shops and beer parlours scattered in residential areas and those inside the Amoke's Mall at Olorunsogo, Molete, Ibadan, Oyo state,in addition to so many communities across Nigeria, have taken advantage of the perpetual darkness and the failure of government to provide street lights to engage in crime and criminality, with the blessings and consent of their collaborators in the law enforcement agencies.
Strangely, silence is the code from residents, a sizable number of whom are accomplices as darkness pervades the landscape.
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