UPDATED: Nationwide blackouts as Nigeria’s electricity grid collapses

*The recent collapse of the national power grid in the West African country has negatively affected supply to electricity Distribution Companies with its attendant dislocating blackouts in consumers’ homes, businesses and organisations  across Nigeria

*Restoration of collapsed power grid at advanced stage: TCN

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

The collapse of the national electricity grid  early Thursday, September 14, 2023, in Nigeria, has resulted in a significant power outage across the country.

ConsumerConnect reports the collapse of the national grid has negatively affected power supply to electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) nationwide.

TCN assures restoration of collapsed power grid at advanced stage

ConsumerConnect reports the Transmission Company of Nigeria night Thursday, September 14, however, disclosed the power firm had intensified effort at restoring the collapsed grid, and had succeeded in restored electricity supply the West, North Central, South, East, and a large portion of the Northern parts of the country after the nationwide blackouts caused by yet another grip collapse.

The company, in a statement Mrs. Ndidi Mbah, General Manager on Public Affairs at TCN, issued Thursday night in Abuja, FCT, also explained that the power system across the country hitherto had been stable in spite of the challenges posed by zero spinning reserve and lack of System Control and lack of adequate Data Acquisition (SCADA) essential to a strong and stable grid.

Earlier, following the development, some DisCos had confirmed the dislocating power situation with statements issued Thursday morning.

The Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) in Lagos State, for instance, issued a notice to its customers on its verified X (Twitter), confirming the total grid collapse.

The DisCo stated it was in constant communication with the National Control Centre (NCC), Osogbo, in Osun State, and assured of update to electricity consumers as the company received further information on the incident.

In a similar notice issued on its X account Thursday morning, Emeka Ezeh, Head of Corporate Communications at the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) Plc, in Enugu State, South-East Nigeria, said it was on standby, awaiting detailed information on the collapse and restoration of supply from the National Control Centre, Osogbo.

The company also noted in the statement: “The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) wishes to inform her esteemed customers of a total system collapse which occurred at 12:40 a.m. today, 14th September, 2023.

“This has resulted in the loss of supply currently being experienced across the network.”

EEDC explained that “due to this development, all our interface TCN stations are out of supply, and we are unable to provide service to our customers in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States.

“We are on standby awaiting detailed information of the collapse and restoration of supply from the National Control Centre (NCC), Osogbo.”

The current incident is said to be the first notable power grid collapse since the last one that occurred sometime September 2022.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), August 2023, reportedly said the power grid had maintained uninterrupted stability for over 400 consecutive days in the country.