The Nigerian government has attributed Saturday’s national grid collapse to an explosion at the Jebba transmission station, which occurred at 8:15 a.m. This marks the third system collapse in just seven days.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) jointly issued a statement confirming the cause of the disruption and the progress of power restoration efforts.
According to NERC, the explosion affected a current transformer at the Jebba station, which triggered a cascade of shutdowns across several power plants due to the sudden loss of load. The Commission expressed concern over the increasing frequency of grid disturbances, which it said undermines recent improvements in grid stability and infrastructure.
“Preliminary investigations reveal that the outage was caused by a transformer explosion at the Jebba station at 0815 hours, leading to a series of power plant shutdowns. However, as of 1300 hours on Saturday, bulk power supply had been significantly restored across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory,” NERC stated.
Unbundling of the System Operator Underway
In alignment with the 2023 Electricity Act, NERC highlighted the ongoing unbundling of the System Operator from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). This reform aims to establish an independent System Operator (SO) to improve grid management and attract more investment into critical infrastructure.
“The separation of the SO from TCN will enhance operational discipline and facilitate optimized investment, ultimately improving grid stability,” the statement noted.
Investigation and Public Hearing Announced
To address the persistent grid disruptions, NERC announced its intention to conduct a public investigative hearing. The hearing aims to uncover both immediate and systemic causes of these recurring blackouts.
“The Commission will soon announce the hearing’s date and venue in national newspapers, and all relevant stakeholders are encouraged to participate,” NERC added.
TCN Confirms Power Restoration and Technical Response
The TCN spokesperson, Ndidi Mbah, confirmed that the power system’s protection mechanism worked as intended, preventing further damage.
“Following the explosion at the 330kV Jebba substation, the protection system was activated, disconnecting the affected busbars to prevent fire and protect nearby equipment. This action temporarily disturbed the grid,” the statement explained.
Mbah also noted that power supply had been fully restored by late Saturday, aligning with NERC’s earlier updates.
Ongoing Challenges
This recent incident adds to a series of grid collapses, with Saturday’s outage being the eighth this year. Efforts to stabilize the grid following previous disruptions earlier in the week were further complicated by additional disturbances during restoration attempts.
NERC emphasized its commitment to finding a lasting solution, with the upcoming public hearing seen as a critical step toward resolving these persistent challenges.
