The National grid has suffered another collapse early Saturday morning, plunging the nation into a widespread blackout, making it the third failure of the national power grid within just seven days.
Data from the National System Operator, a division of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), revealed that power generation plummeted from 3,041.72 megawatts (MW) at 8 a.m. to a mere 47 MW by 9 a.m., with only the Azura-Edo Independent Power Plant remaining online.
On Friday, the grid had recorded a peak supply of 4,807.2 MW, but by Saturday morning, seven out of the eleven electricity distribution companies reported zero load allocation.
The only companies receiving minimal supply were Benin DisCo (70 MW), Ibadan DisCo (60 MW), Ikeja DisCo (30 MW), and Eko DisCo (20 MW).
The TCN had announced on Friday that two towers along its 330kV Shiroro-Kaduna transmission lines had been vandalized, causing significant damage.
Reports indicated that the first line tripped before the second, leading to ongoing efforts to restore service. Local vigilantes have been mobilized to patrol the area due to security concerns.
An aerial survey conducted in conjunction with security operatives revealed two damaged towers—T133 and T136—with cables severely compromised. The TCN stated that arrangements are underway to deploy an "emergency restoration system" while plans for reconstructing the damaged towers are in progress.
In a statement signed by Ndidi Mbah, General Manager of Public Affairs at TCN, it was noted that engineers have implemented temporary measures to supply bulk power to Kaduna and Kano regions via the 330kV Kaduna-Jos transmission line. The vandalized Shiroro-Kaduna lines are crucial for transmitting bulk power to parts of Northwest Nigeria, each capable of carrying up to 600 MW.
