TCN begins probe as Peter Obi condemns frequent grid collapse

The Federal Government, through the Transmission Company of Nigeria, says it would investigate the cause of the multiple power grid collapses that occurred on Monday and Tuesday.

This is as the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, on Tuesday said the national power grid collapse is a shame and an indication of leadership failure in Nigeria.

TCN said the national grid experienced what it called a partial disturbance on Monday, saying efforts to fully recover the grid were still ongoing as of Tuesday.

However, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, said there was nothing like a grid collapse but a trip-off.

TCN spokesperson, Ndidi Mbah, explained in a statement that although the recovery of the grid commenced immediately, with Azura power station providing the blackstart, grid recovery reached advanced stages at about 10.24 am on Tuesday when it encountered a challenge that caused a slight setback in the recovery process.

Business Hallmark reports that the power grid collapsed again on Tuesday amid restoration efforts.

“The slight setback notwithstanding, TCN continued with the grid recovery process, which has reached an advanced stage, ensuring bulk power availability to about 90 per cent of its substations nationwide. Supply has been restored to the Abuja axis and other major distribution load centres nationwide,” she disclosed, even as many areas were still in darkness as of 7 pm on Tuesday.

Mbah explained that the partial disturbance did not affect the Ibom Gas generating station, which was islanded from the grid yesterday, and continued to supply areas in the South Southern part of the country such as Eket, Ekim, Uyo, and Itu 132kV transmission Substations during the period.

“Investigation into the cause of the incident will be carried out as soon as the grid is fully restored,” she noted.

Obi, who called for the reform of Nigeria’s power sector, said the latest collapse has exposed the fragility of the country’s electricity infrastructure.

In a post on X, the former presidential candidate said the latest power grid collapse is emblematic of a leadership and government that had failed to prioritize the welfare and economic well-being of the people.

Obi said: “For the umpteenth time, the national grid has collapsed, plunging a huge part of the nation into darkness and exposing the fragility of Nigeria’s power infrastructure.

“This recurring disaster is a national shame and a glaring testament to the failure of leadership and policy implementation at the highest levels.

“How long must Nigerians endure a system that fails to provide one of the critical necessities for a productive society?

“We all know the immense importance of power supply to the transformation of our economy. Its support to SMEs, which are the engine of job creation and a major contributor to our GDP, is immeasurable.

“Today, we are the fourth largest economy in Africa, having fallen from the number one position due to leadership failure over the years, including the persistent power crisis, which is critical when compared to smaller economies.

“South Africa, which is now the largest economy in Africa with a GDP of about $400 billion and 30% of our population, generates and distributes over 40,000 megawatts of electricity.

“Secondly, Egypt, the second largest economy with a GDP of about $350 billion and half of our population, generates and distributes over 40,000 megawatts.

“Algeria, the third largest economy, with about 300B GDP and 20% of our population, generates and distributes over 50,000 megawatts of electricity.

“Nigeria, with less GDP but with more population than the 3 countries combined, generates and distributes less than 10,000 megawatts, and even that is riddled with frequent collapses and crises of failure.

“This disparity in power generation is a reflection of the deep-rooted governance deficit that continues to hold back our growth and potential.

“It is time for urgent, comprehensive reform. Nigerians deserve a government that prioritizes measurable indices of development.”

But the Minister of Power,  Adelabu, on Tuesday reportedly insisted that the grid did not collapse.

“There was no a grid collapse; there was a trip-off. When you talk of grid collapse, it will involve 100 per cent of our grid infrastructure. But this was a line tripping in certain quarters in the country; even the major centres were not affected, talk of Abuja, Lagos, and Ibadan. And this was even restored within two hours.

“Let me tell you, grid disturbances are global. We are talking about electrical connections. There could be tripping off due to weather, due to the dilapidation of some infrastructure. What matters most is what is your rate of response to fix this. We responded swiftly and within two hours, we brought it back and it’s working now. So, it’s no big deal,” he stated.