BREAKING: National Grid Restored After Collapse, Minister Promises Nigerians Will Enjoy Power Supply

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced the successful restoration of the national power grid after it experienced a collapse at 4:28 pm on Thursday.

TCN issued a statement on Friday declaring full recovery of the grid by 10 pm the same day.

While the Eko Electricity Distribution Company reported on Friday that it received minimal power supply from the grid, enabling it to provide electricity to stations in Agbara, Ojo, Akangba, Ajah, Lekki, and Alagbon.

TCN’s spokesperson, Ndidi Mbah, expressed optimism about the swift restoration of the power supply, stating, “We remain optimistic that power supply will be restored to optimal normalcy soon, as the grid restoration continues. We will keep you updated.”

Mbah attributed the system disturbance to a significant reduction in generation capacity, primarily due to gas constraints, leading to a rapid decline in system frequency and an imbalance in the grid. She further explained that the sudden tripping of Egbin generation Turbine 3 exacerbated the situation, resulting in an additional loss of 167MW load and the subsequent collapse of the grid.

Despite these challenges, TCN assured its commitment to addressing grid issues and collaborating with stakeholders in the power sector to minimize disruptions and swiftly restore normal operation.

The recent collapse adds to a history of grid failures in Nigeria, with the International Energy Agency reporting 46 collapses between 2017 and 2023. Notably, on September 14, 2023, a major transmission line fire caused a nationwide blackout.

In response to ongoing power challenges, Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu has pledged to resolve them within the next three to six months so that they would enjoy power supply. He indicated that gas suppliers, owed payments by power generating companies, would begin receiving payments from April.