Blackout as national grid collapses — first in 2024

The national grid, on Sunday, collapsed to zero megawatts, leading to a total blackout nationwide. 

This is the first time the grid has collapsed this year. The grid had collapsed three consecutive times in 2023.

In separate statements posted on social media, power distribution companies (DisCos) blamed the blackout currently experienced nationwide on the collapse of the grid, managed by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

Data from TCN’s generation trend said the grid collapsed at about 11am on Sunday, leading to a drop in the system’s capacity from 2,407 megawatts (MW) to just 31MW by mid-day, and to zero by 1pm.

The DisCos, in the statements on Sunday, asked customers to stay calm while the grid is being repaired.

Dear customers, this is for your information. #AEDC #Abujadisco #PowerofCommitment pic.twitter.com/Xua4vNhm6Z

— aedcelectricity (@aedcelectricity) February 4, 2024

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“The management of Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc (AEDC) wishes to inform its valued customers that the power outage being experienced is as a result of a system failure from the national grid at 11:21 hours today, 4th February 2024 which has led to a nationwide power outage,” AEDC said in a statement.

“Be rest assured that we are working with the relevant stakeholders to restore power as soon as the grid is stabilized.”  

‘BULK POWER SUPPLY AFFECTED’

On his part, Abdulazeez Abdullahi, the head of corporate communication of the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Plc (KAEDCO), said the company lost “bulk power supply”, noting that the outage is being experienced in Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states.

The distribution firm, therefore, said the power supply will be restored as soon as “we receive the same at load centres across our franchise.” 

Also confirming the development, the Jos Electricity Distribution Plc, assured customers of power supply as soon as the grid is restored back to normalcy.

Although the TCN is yet to speak officially on the situation, the electric grid manager had recently raised concerns over the gradual decrease in available generation.

TCN attributed the decline to gas constraints to the generating companies, adding that the situation impacted the quantum of bulk power available on the transmission grid, for onward transmission to the distribution load centres nationwide.