FG to hand over National grid to independent operators

The Federal Government, via the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), has announced that talks are underway to transfer the management of the national grid to an Independent System Operator. This move aligns with the Electricity Act 2023 and aims to improve discipline in grid management.

NERC also reported that the recent collapse of the national grid early Saturday was triggered by an explosion at the Jebba transmission station. The commission stated that efforts to restore power have made substantial progress, with electricity restored in 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory by 1 PM on Saturday.

This incident marked the third collapse of the national grid within a week, following similar outages on Monday and Tuesday during restoration efforts. In a statement shared on its official X account, NERC expressed concern over the increasing frequency of grid disturbances that have led to significant outages.

The statement noted, “The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission is alarmed by the rising incidents of grid disturbances, which have resulted in notable outages across several states, reversing many recent achievements in reducing infrastructure deficits and enhancing grid stability.”

Initial reports indicated that the outage this morning was caused by an explosion of a current transformer at the Jebba transmission station at 8:15 AM, which led to a cascade of power plant shutdowns due to the loss of load. The statement confirmed that power restoration efforts have been effective, with significant recovery noted by 1 PM across 33 states and the FCT.

Additionally, NERC plans to hold a public hearing aimed at investigating both the immediate and underlying causes of the recurring grid disturbances and widespread outages. “As part of the ongoing unbundling of the System Operator function from the Transmission Company of Nigeria Plc, we expect that the establishment of an Independent System Operator will enhance discipline in grid management and optimize infrastructure investment.”

Details regarding the date and location of the public hearing will be announced in national newspapers, and stakeholders are encouraged to participate in the process.