If you are a Nigerian who cares so much about power distribution and outages and read it in the news, you may have heard National Grid in many news reports and in conversations. Many times, the news reports are that the “National Grid has collapsed” – an annual event that has a pattern.
Nigeria’s power sector has many features and most prominent is the collapse of the national grid.
According to 2020 data from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), from 2013, when the electricity sector privatisation was completed, to 2020, the national grid failed 84 times and partially collapsed 43 times.
In a report posted on its website, TCN mentions “that the current load shedding being experienced nationwide is as a result of very low power generation by the Generation Companies (GENCOs) for TCN to wheel through the transmission grid to distribution companies nationwide.”
A summary of the power generating profiles in the last two months, for instance, clearly shows that fourteen (14) gas powered generating stations were either not generating at all or had limited generation at various times within the period, further depleting the quantum of power generation available for transmission into the grid on a daily basis. Power generating stations in this category include; Omotosho units 5 & 6, Olorunsogo units 3, 4 & 6, Omoku units 3 & 6, Omotosho NIPP units 3 & 4, Delta units 15, 17, and 18, Afam VI units 11 & 12, Olorunsogo NIPP unit 3, Ihovbor NIPP unit 2, Sapele Steam unit 3, Sapele NIPP unit 1, Odukpani NIPP units 1 & 3, and Okpai units 11, 12 & 18.
11 distribution companies had issued notes to end-users blaming the TCN for not supplying enough energy to dispatch. The TCN fired back on the GenCos with that report. The Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET) in a sharp twist blamed DisCos saying, “the DisCos have reneged on all performance agreements and held the sector in a fix.”
But the GenCos, at a media briefing yesterday, insisted that illiquidity caused by the huge sums owed GenCos by NBET “more than ever before continued to frustrate the GenCos and keep them incapable of meeting their obligations which are extremely necessary to keep their power plants running and make capacities available.”
With the spate of collapses the national grid has had, it appears that the Federal Government and its agencies cannot successfully put it together again. In fact, it recently collapsed again.
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Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, and other cities across the country experienced a blackout on Monday following the collapse of the national grid.
No fewer than four Distribution Companies (DISCOs) confirmed the development via social media, informing their customers of the situation in their respective domains.
The grid, operated from Osogbo in Osun, collapsed at about 10:40 am Monday sending the eleven distribution companies which supply the 36 and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) out of supply.
At 2:40 pm, there were reports that the grid was being restored, while some of them were yet to pick energy load.
It seems like Nigerians are used to blackouts, the reason power generators are sold like yellow garri. Many Nigerians have long lost hope in a better power situation and would not mind getting an alternative.
What is the National Grid?
The grid system in which generating stations and major consumer centres are integrated is employed by the National Electric Power Authority in generating and distributing electricity in Nigeria. Gas turbines constitute more than half of the generating sets.
Science Direct
The national grid is a term used to describe the electricity network in the country. This grid includes electricity generation (GenCos); electric power transmission (TCN); and electricity distribution (DisCos). The national grid connects our homes, schools, businesses and cities through a network of power lines to diverse energy sources.
Electricity in Nigeria is generated through thermal and hydropower sources. The main source of electricity generation comes from fossil fuels especially gas which accounts for 86 per cent of the capacity in Nigeria with the remainder generated from hydropower sources.
Nigeria has 23 power generating plants connected to the national grid with the capacity to generate 11,165.4 MW of electricity. These plants are managed by generating companies (GenCos), independent power providers, and Niger Delta Holding Company.
A short timeline
The grid collapsed in February, May, July and August 2021.
On Monday, January 17, 2022, Nigeria’s electricity grid suffered a major outage as some parts of the country were plunged into a blackout. That was the first time in 2022. Another has happened, and there are no indications that the word ‘collapse’ will not appear again – notwithstanding monies already spent.
Extra – A list of the DisCos
| Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company Plc | Kaduna including the districts of Makera, Doka, Birnin Kebbi, Gusau, Sokoto, and Zaria |
| Yola Electricity Distribution Company Plc | Yola, Maiduguri, Taraba, and Damaturu districts |
| Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc | Aba, Abakaliki, Abakpa, Awka, Ogui, Onitsha, Owerri, Nnewi, and Umuahia |
| Abuja Electricity Distribution Company Plc | Abuja, Minna, Suleja, Lokoja, and Lafia Districts |
| Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc | Abeokuta, Dugbe, Molete, Ijebu-Ode, Osogbo, Ilorin, Sango-Ota, and Oyo |
| Jos Electricity Distribution Company Plc | Jos, Makurdi, Bauchi, and Gombe districts |
| Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc | Festac, Ijora, Lagos Island, Ajah, and Badagry |
| Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company Plc | Ikeja, Shomolu, Akowonjo, Ikorodu, Oshodi and Abule-Egba |
| Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company Plc | Calabar, Diobu, Ikom/Ogoja, Borikiri, Uyo and Yenegoa |
| Benin Electricity Distribution Company Plc | Ado-Ekiti, Afenonesan, Akure, Asaba, Akpakpava, ‘Ugbowo and Warri |
| Kano Electricity Distribution Company Plc | Nassarawa, Dala, Katsina, Dutse, Kumbotso, Funtua, and Dakata districts |
Omoleye Omoruyi… an apprentice web/game developer, novelist, sensitive to happenings in the world. Meet him @Lord_rickie on Twitter/Instagram
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