Document Type : Research Paper
Abstract
Nigeria's power generation sector faces persistent reliability challenges arising from frequent equipment failures, poor maintenance practices, and aging infrastructure. Thermal power plants, which supply the majority of Nigeria's electricity, continue to operate below international reliability benchmarks, leading to reduced efficiency and unstable power delivery. This study evaluated the reliability performance of Power Station located in the southern region of Nigeria, to quantify its operational dependability and identify major causes of unreliability. Five years of operational data (2017–2021) covering energy generation, fuel consumption, and outage records were analyzed using probabilistic reliability indices, including Mean Time to Failure (MTTF), Failure Rate (λ), Capacity Factor, and Thermal Efficiency. The analysis revealed that plant reliability fluctuated between 41.77% and 74.24%, with an average value consistently below the international standard of 90%. The highest reliability was recorded in February 2018 (74.24%), corresponding to improved maintenance activity, while the lowest occurred in February 2020 (41.77%), coinciding with increased downtime and equipment faults. The mean annual capacity factor ranged from 36.9% to 73.9%, and thermal efficiency values remained below optimal levels, indicating significant operational losses. These results highlight that reliability is largely influenced by maintenance consistency, equipment age, and operational planning. The study recommends adopting predictive and condition-based maintenance strategies, upgrading aging units, and improving operational scheduling to enhance system dependability.
