UPDATED: Saturday's grid collapse caused by transformer explosion – NERC

Oct 20, 2024

FILE: National power grid.

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The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has revealed that Saturday’s grid collapse was a result of a current transformer explosion.

PUNCH Online reports that for the third time in one week, the national grid collapsed again on Saturday.

Power generation went off on Saturday morning around 8:16.

Giving an update on the collapse in a statement on its social media handles, the NERC said it “Notes with concern the recent escalating incidence of grid disturbances often leading to marked outage in several states thus reversing many of the gains recently achieved in reducing infrastructure deficit and improving grid stability.”

The statement disclosed, “Initial reports on the grid disturbance that occurred this morning indicate that today’s outage was triggered by an explosion of a current transformer at the Jebba transmission station at 0815hrs and an associated cascade of power plants shut down arising from the loss of load.”

The commission stated, however, that efforts to restore supply had advanced “with power significantly restored, as at 1300hrs, in 33 states and the FCT.”

It added, “In line with the provisions of the Electricity Act 2023, the unbundling of the System Operator function (ISO) out of Transmission Company of Nigeria Plc is ongoing with the expectation that an independent System Operator would engender more discipline in grid management and optimised investment in infrastructure.”

In pursuit of finding a permanent resolution to the challenges of the national grid, the commission said it shall shortly conduct an investigative public hearing to identify immediate and remote causes of recurring incidents of grid disturbances and widespread outages.

”The date and venue of the public hearing will shortly be announced in the national dailies and stakeholders are encouraged to participate,” the statement concluded.

For the third time in one week, the national grid collapsed again on Saturday as power generation went off on Saturday morning around 8:16.

Recall that the grid tripped off on Monday and Tuesday when it was being restored.

Our correspondent’s checks confirmed that power generation was 3,042 megawatts at 8 am and peaked at 3,968MW at 7 am.

However, generation dropped to 47MW as of 9 am.

Allocation to power distribution companies stood at 0.00MW at the time of the incident.

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