Blackout: Experts Explain Why National Grid Failure Will Persist
Nigeria’s power grid system failed again yesterday, just one day after a government committee released a report on how to fix the country’s frequent power grid collapses.
This was the second collapse this week and the tenth in 2024, leaving Nigerians without electricity and causing significant financial losses for power generation and distribution companies, while customers expressed their frustration.
Power sector experts warn that these grid failures will continue unless urgent action is taken to address the issues, such as outdated equipment, insufficient gas supply, poor coordination of power plants and gas pipelines, lack of backup reserves, and vandalism. They also mention problems with communication systems and corruption.
The latest collapse occurred around 11:29 AM when the grid, recovering from a previous failure in October, suddenly dropped from 2,709 MW to just 4.5 MW. It slowly recovered after 1 PM.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) explained that the collapse was due to a rise in frequency from 50.33Hz to 51.44Hz. TCN is working on repairs and upgrading critical infrastructure to improve the grid’s stability, but some instability may persist until these improvements are fully implemented.
Several distribution companies, including Ikeja Electric and Eko DISCO, apologized to customers for the power outage, which affected large parts of the country.
A source from a major power generation company expressed concern over the financial losses they have faced due to the frequent grid failures, saying the industry is in a dangerous situation and could collapse without urgent intervention.
The latest collapse happened just after a report by a government committee identified poor maintenance and old equipment as key causes of the frequent grid failures. The committee recommended more investment in infrastructure and maintenance to address these problems.
Experts, including the President of the Chartered Institute of Power Engineers, emphasized the need for significant investment to replace outdated equipment and make decisions based on technical expertise rather than political influence. They also called for the government to address political interference and ensure the right infrastructure is placed where it is needed.
Some experts believe that the grid system should be decentralized to improve efficiency, as the current centralized system means that problems at one substation can cause power outages across the country.
Others, like the CEO of Oilserv Group, argue that propane-powered off-grid solutions could provide a cleaner, more affordable alternative to the unreliable grid. They highlighted that propane is cheaper and more eco-friendly than diesel and could help address Nigeria’s energy challenges.
