The Minister for Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has ordered the immediate replacement of aged equipment in order to stop the incessant collapse of the national grid.
Adelabu assured that the replacement would be achieved in six months.
Adelabu also directed the Transmission Company of Nigeria and all other relevant agencies of the ministry to begin the immediate implementation of the recommendations of the inter-agency committee, set up to address the incessant grid collapses in the power sector.
The Minister’s marching order came as the TCN reported that the national grid experienced a disturbance at approximately 11:29 am, on Thursday, November 7, 2024, which was caused by a sudden rise in frequency from 50.33Hz to 51.44Hz.
The Special Adviser to the Minister on Strategic Communications and Media, Bolaji Tunji, in a statement, quoted the Minister as saying that all relevant agencies in the ministry must brace up for the immediate implementation of the recommendations of the committee, which was submitted on Wednesday, November 6, 2024.
“The recommendations of the committee are far-reaching and will proffer lasting solutions to the incessant power grid collapses that we have embarrassingly witnessed in the country in the immediate and long term”, Bolaji said.
Meanwhile, the Transmission Company of Nigeria has indicated that the latest national grid collapse, which occurred twice within 72 hours, may not be the last, as such failures are likely to persist.
A statement by the General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, noted that this is due to the ongoing repair of critical infrastructure to enhance the overall stability and resilience of the grid.
“Recovery efforts began immediately, and the Abuja Axis was restored within 28 minutes. Recovery is still ongoing,” Mbah said in a statement, even as many said they were yet to get power supply since the first grid collapse on Tuesday.
“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, we are actively engaged in significant repair works on several critical transmission lines and substations. This includes the 330kV transmission lines 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, we have begun addressing the identified weaknesses in the transmission system. Efforts are being made to close the gaps highlighted in the report, and to enhance the overall stability and resilience of the grid. These efforts include both technical upgrades and strategic interventions based on the committee’s recommendations,” Mbah said.
