Fragile Power Supplies in Unstable Regions
Power producers in politically unstable regions of the world are finding that generating capacity is useless unless they can ensure the reliable delivery of fuel to run their power plants. Such was the dark lesson in both Nigeria and Gaza in the past week.
On Nov. 28, a Nigerian newspaper reported that the country’s power generation capacity had dropped once again, from about 3,500 MW to 2,400 MW following vandalism of the major gas supply pipeline to the Egbin power station.
According to executive commissioner in charge of engineering standards and safety at the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Onwuamaeze Iloeje, the vandalism occurred on the Shell Petroleum Development Co. gas supply route. Iloeje, said that, with the supply disruption, Egbin’s power generating capacity had dropped by more than 60%.
He said that with Nigeria’s energy demand at between 13,000 MW and 16,000 MW, the current situation was worrisome and was why efforts were being made to shore up power generation capacity in the country.
In Gaza at the end of November, diesel was the missing fuel. The Los Angeles Times reported that, “Gazans have endured shortages of electricity and some staples since a 5-month-old cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, the militant group that controls the enclave, began to unravel Nov. 4.”
Gaza’s sole power plant, located in An-Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip, was shut down on Nov. 30 for the second time in less than a week, as predicted, after Israel again halted fuel supplies to the Hamas-ruled territory, a Palestinian official said. Kanaan Obeid, assistant director of Gaza’s electricity authority, said the power plant shut down after running out of diesel, which is supplied to the territory through the Israeli-controlled fuel terminal.
The plant stopped functioning for several days after breakdowns in the production units on November 25.
The power plant, which supplies between one-quarter and one-third of Gaza’s energy, has been particularly hard hit by Israel’s decision to tighten its blockade since a surge in violence on November 4, causing blackouts in Gaza City. Israel supplies about 70% of Gaza’s power and Egypt provides 5%.
After the first blackout, the Irish Times reported that “Special batteries normally used to help run the plant died earlier this week, preventing it from restarting after Israel allowed limited amounts of fuel into the impoverished coastal enclave. 

“A director at the plant, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the workers devised a solution to the problem by hooking generators up to 170 car batteries.”
Sources: Irish Times, Los Angeles Times, Vanguard, AFP, Institute for Middle East Understanding