FG Plans Transfer of National Grid Management to Independent Operators

Ongoing Management Transfer of National Grid to Independent System Operator Amidst Frequent Outages

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has announced that discussions are actively taking place to transfer the management of the national grid to an Independent System Operator. This initiative aligns with the stipulations of the Electricity Act 2023, aimed at enhancing discipline in grid management.

Recent developments have revealed that an explosion at the Jebba transmission station was responsible for the latest collapse of the national grid, which occurred early Saturday morning. NERC reported that efforts to restore electricity supply have made significant progress, with power restored to 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by 1 PM on Saturday.

This latest incident marks the third outage in just one week, following two previous collapses earlier in the week on Monday and Tuesday during ongoing restoration efforts. In a statement shared on its official X handle, NERC expressed concern over the increasing frequency of grid disturbances, which have resulted in widespread outages and threaten to undo recent advancements made in addressing infrastructure deficiencies and enhancing grid stability.

According to NERC, initial investigations into the recent grid failure indicate that it was triggered by an explosion of a current transformer at the Jebba transmission station at 8:15 AM, which caused a domino effect leading to the shutdown of several power plants due to loss of load. Fortunately, significant progress has been made in restoring power, with supply reestablished in a wide array of regions by midday.

To delve deeper into the underlying reasons for these recurring grid disturbances, NERC has announced plans to hold an investigative public hearing. This hearing will aim to uncover both immediate and distant causes behind the frequent outages. Stakeholders will be encouraged to participate, and details regarding the date and venue of this public hearing will be released soon in national newspapers.

Furthermore, NERC indicated that the unbundling of the System Operator function from the Transmission Company of Nigeria Plc is currently underway, with the transition to an Independent System Operator expected to enhance discipline in grid management and optimize investment in necessary infrastructure.