Power Failure: FG Launches Probe into Grid Collapse

FG Probes Power Grid Collapse

“The team is expected to present a report to the Honourable Minister by November 1, 2024...”

Nigeria's National Grid Collapses 8 Times in 2024: FG Launches Investigation into Recurring Power Outages

The Federal Government has taken a significant step to tackle the recurring grid collapses in Nigeria's power sector. Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has established a forensic investigative committee to address the issue, following an emergency meeting with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

Breakdown of the key points:

Committee Formation: The forensic investigative committee was formed to identify solutions for strengthening the national grid.

Minister's Concerns: Adelabu expressed disappointment over the grid collapses, emphasizing their potential to undermine the progress made in the power sector over the past year.

Progress Made: Notably, the sector has seen a record generation and distribution of 5,527 megawatts in the last year, a three-year high.

Committee's Mandate: The committee will advise the government on necessary measures to ensure the national grid becomes robust and reliable.

This move demonstrates the government's commitment to resolving the power sector's challenges and ensuring a stable electricity supply for Nigerians.

“The Committee is to also establish the root cause of both incidents especially a review of potential sabotage on the system,” Tunji said.

“The Committee will holistically review the national grid stability and identify investments and technical capacities required to make the grid smart and resilient.”

Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has taken a significant step towards addressing Nigeria's recurring power grid collapses by establishing a six-member technical committee. This committee's primary objective is to identify potential vulnerabilities in the national grid's critical nodes.

Committee's Mandate

The committee, headed by Nafisat Ali, Executive Director of the Independent System Operator (ISO), is tasked with proffering recommendations to address the identified vulnerabilities. Their ultimate goal is to prevent future disruptions to the grid, ensuring a more stable and reliable power supply for Nigerians.

Focus Areas

The committee's investigation will focus on critical nodes on the national grid, aiming to:

• Identify potential weaknesses that could lead to grid collapses
• Develop strategies to address these vulnerabilities
• Provide recommendations for implementing these strategies to prevent future disruptions

By constituting this technical committee, Minister Adelabu demonstrates the government's commitment to resolving the power sector's challenges and ensuring a stable electricity supply for Nigeria's economic growth and development.

Others are ”Chidi Ike, commissioner, NERC, Engr. Ishola, National Control Centre (NCC), Engr. Emmanuel Nosike, Director, Transmission, Federal Ministry of Power (FMoP), Engr. Ali Sharifai, Transmission Service Provider (TSP) and Adedayo Olowoniyi, Chief Technical Adviser to the Minister of Power.

“The team is expected to present a report to the Honourable Minister by November 1, 2024,” Tunji added.

Nigeria's national grid has experienced eight collapses in 2024, with the first incident occurring on February 4. Subsequent collapses were reported on March 28, April 15, July 6, and August 5, according to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

Additional grid failures occurred on October 14, 15, and 19, resulting in widespread blackouts. The most recent incident happened today, Tuesday, October 22, when the 330-kilovolt (kV) Ugwaji-Apir double circuit transmission lines 1 and 2 tripped, causing power outages in the northeast, northwest, and parts of north-central Nigeria.

Here's a summary of the 2024 national grid collapses:

• February 4
• March 28
• April 15
• July 6
• August 5
• October 14
• October 15
• October 19

These recurring grid failures underscore the need for urgent action to address Nigeria's power sector challenges.