The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has expressed deep concern over the recent rise in grid disturbances that have led to widespread outages across several states, undermining the progress made in stabilizing the national grid and improving infrastructure. In a statement shared via its official X handle, the Commission acknowledged the setbacks caused by these disruptions.
The most recent grid disturbance, which occurred this morning, was triggered by an explosion of a current transformer at the Jebba transmission station at 8:15 a.m. The explosion caused a cascade of power plant shutdowns due to a sudden loss of load. However, NERC confirmed that as of 1:00 p.m., power had been significantly restored in 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In line with the Electricity Act of 2023, the Commission is actively working on the unbundling of the System Operator (ISO) function from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). The aim is to establish an independent System Operator that would bring more discipline in grid management, ensuring optimized investment in the country’s electricity infrastructure.
To address the root causes of these recurring grid disturbances, NERC has announced its plan to conduct an investigative public hearing. This hearing aims to uncover both immediate and long-term factors contributing to the national grid’s instability and outages. The date and venue of the hearing will be published in national newspapers, and the Commission encourages all stakeholders to actively participate in the discussions.
The Nigerian power sector is at a critical juncture, and NERC’s actions will be instrumental in securing a stable and reliable energy future for the nation.
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