Nigeria is currently grappling with a widespread power outage due to a severe collapse of the national electricity grid. The power generation capacity has dwindled by more than 90%, plummeting to a meager 273 megawatts (MW). This abrupt failure has plunged cities across the nation into darkness.
Reports indicate that the transmission system, managed by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) from Osogbo in Osun State, has suffered a complete breakdown. This incident has left numerous areas without electricity supply for nearly 48 hours.
Among the affected regions is Enugu State, where areas such as Emene, Airport, Agbani, and others have been enduring the blackout.
The Guardian has reported that the meager 273MW of electricity is being generated from only two out of the more than 27 electricity generation sources in the country.
Several distribution companies have confirmed the grid’s collapse, which occurred at 00:41 AM, with most of their feeders also impacted.
As of 4:00 AM on Thursday, only five generating plants were connected to the grid, with severely reduced output:
– Afam VI: 0.70MW
– Dadinkowa: 0.00MW
– Ibom Power: 32.90MW
– Jebba: 240MW
– Olorunsogo: 0.00MW
At around 1 AM, the total power supplied to the grid had fallen to a mere 35MW, signaling a complete collapse of the national power system.
It’s worth noting that approximately a year ago, on September 26, 2022, the national grid experienced a catastrophic failure, dropping to zero megawatts (MW) at 10:51 AM, resulting in a nationwide blackout. This incident marked the seventh system collapse in that year alone, far surpassing the three recorded in 2021.
Nigeria has faced challenges in maintaining a stable and reliable power supply, and these recurring grid failures have a significant impact on businesses, households, and the overall economy. Efforts to strengthen and stabilize the country’s power infrastructure remain crucial to addressing these recurrent power outages.
