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TCN confirms grid collapse, says instability to persist until full repairs

THE Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has confirmed that the national grid experienced a disturbance early Thursday morning at around 11:29 AM, due to a sudden rise in frequency from 50.33Hz to 51.44Hz. 

According to a statement by the TCN Public Affairs’ manager, Ndidi Mbah, on Thursday, November 7, immediate recovery efforts were launched, with the Abuja Axis being restored within minutes. 

However, TCN stated that recovery is ongoing, as the grid faces technical challenges.

The ICIR earlier reported that Nigeria’s national power grid collapsed again, marking the second failure in just three days and the tenth since February 2024.

This latest outage plunged several regions into darkness, disrupting businesses, essential services, and daily life across the country.

According to data from the Nigerian System Operator’s portal, power generation dropped to an unprecedented zero megawatts at 11:30 a.m., affecting all 22 operational generation companies (GenCos) nationwide. Earlier this week, a similar collapse led to widespread outages, with power restored to key areas only after several hours.

The repeated failures have fueled public frustration and raised concerns over the stability of Nigeria’s power infrastructure.

Confirming the collapse, Mbah said the frequency spike was linked to issues at one of the company’s substations, which was subsequently shut down to avert further complications. 

“The frequency spike was caused by issues encountered at one of TCN’s substations, which had to be shut down to prevent further complications. In addition to this, TCN is actively engaged in significant repair work on several critical transmission lines and substations. This includes the 330kV transmission line along the Shiroro–Mando axis, major upgrades at the Jebba Transmission Substation, and the restoration of the second Ugwuaji–Apir 330kV transmission line.

“Furthermore, following the submission of the investigative report on the causes of previous grid collapses, TCN has begun addressing the identified weaknesses in the transmission system. Efforts are being made to close the gaps highlighted in the report and enhance the grid’s overall stability and resilience. These efforts include both technical upgrades and strategic interventions based on the committee’s recommendations,” Mbah wrote.

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Despite these efforts claimed to be made, Mbah noted that some level of instability in the power system is expected to persist until all major repairs and improvements are completed. 

Mbah further urged the public for continued patience and understanding during this period of persistent collapse.

“The company remains committed to improving the reliability of electricity supply, recognising the vital role that stable power plays in Nigeria’s socio-economic development. TCN assures the public that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure the grid’s long-term stability, in line with the recommendations of the investigative committee, while also addressing infrastructure damage such as vandalised transmission lines.  “




     

     

     

    The ICIR reports that in the past ten months, Nigeria has faced frequent outages, exposing systemic issues within the country’s electricity network. The ICIR reports that each failure affects households, businesses, and critical sectors like healthcare, where a consistent power supply is essential.

     

    This latest collapse adds to an increasingly alarming trend. The first major blackout of the year occurred on February 4, 2024, when the grid’s capacity fell from 2,407 megawatts to just 31 megawatts by midday, eventually reaching zero. 

    Since then, breakdowns have recurred, with collapses on August 5 and three times in October. Notably, the October 14 collapse was followed by a partial failure the next day, and another disturbance occurred on October 19, narrowly avoiding a complete collapse.

    The ongoing outages are impacting businesses, households, and essential services, highlighting the need for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s power sector.

    Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M

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