The Traffic

"Power Crisis: FG Summons TCN, NERC to Emergency Meeting as Grid Collapse Sparks Blackouts Across North"

In response to a series of electricity grid collapses that have plunged parts of the country into darkness, the Federal Government has summoned the leadership of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to an emergency meeting. The meeting, led by the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, aims to address the recurring failures and stabilise the nation's power supply.

With eight grid disturbances reported this year alone, Adelabu expressed his frustration over the worsening situation, which threatens to undermine recent improvements in the sector. According to Bolaji Tunji, the minister’s spokesman, Adelabu was particularly displeased with the incidents, fearing they could overshadow the government's achievement of generating and distributing a record 5,527 megawatts— the highest in three years.

To tackle the crisis, Adelabu announced the formation of a forensic investigation committee tasked with determining the root causes of the collapses and proposing solutions to strengthen the national grid. The committee will also assess potential sabotage, as suspicions grow around the system's vulnerability. Alongside this, a technical team has been deployed to key points on the grid to identify weaknesses and offer recommendations for future stability.

The minister recalled that a partial collapse on October 14 was caused by the tripping of a line at the Jebba Transmission Substation, coupled with recurring faults at Osogbo. Efforts to restore power were met with further setbacks the following day, with full restoration only achieved on October 16. While speculation arose that another collapse had occurred on October 17, Adelabu clarified that it was a controlled shutdown due to an explosion at the Jebba transformer, which was resolved within two hours.

"These are more disturbances than actual collapses," Adelabu explained, seeking to reassure the public while underscoring the severity of the disruptions.

Meanwhile, the TCN has reported a new outage affecting the North as a result of equipment failure on the 330kV Ugwaji–Apir transmission lines. The fault, which occurred early yesterday, resulted in a total loss of 468 MW, leaving large parts of the North-east, North-west, and North-central without power. TCN’s spokesperson, Ndidi Mbah, revealed that efforts to trace the fault have been hampered by difficult terrain and security challenges, but teams have been dispatched to restore service as quickly as possible.

As the crisis deepens, consumer advocacy groups are urging President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the power sector. Kunle Olubiyo, President of the Nigeria Consumer Protection Network (NCPN), called for an immediate review of the power sector's privatisation, citing its "evident failure" to deliver reliable electricity to Nigerians.

The six-member forensic committee, led by Nafisat Ali, Executive Director of the Independent System Operator (ISO), is expected to present its findings and recommendations to the Minister of Power by November 1, 2024. As the government scrambles for solutions, millions of Nigerians remain in the dark, waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel.

Yakubu Haruna Yakubu