Grid collapse: TCN asks for patience as restoration efforts continue

Following the collapse of the national grid on Thursday, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has requested for patience and understanding from the public, saying it’s engineers are “actively engaged in significant repair work on several critical transmission lines and substations”.

WESTERN POST reported that the national grid collapsed on Thursday morning, making the second system failure in three days as the grid had also failed on Tuesday November 5 this week.

But in a press statement by it’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, the company attributed the electricity system collapse to “a sudden rise in frequency from 50.33Hz to 51.44Hz”.

It added that problems at one of TCN’s substations led to the frequency spike, and to avoid more problems, the substation had to be shut down.

According to the company, the Abuja axis was restored in a matter of minutes as recovery procedures got underway and is still in progress.

To improve the power supply situation across the country, TCN revealed work is ongoing on “several critical transmission lines and substations. This includes the 330kV transmission line along the Shiroro–Mando axis, major upgrades at the Jebba Transmission Substation, and the restoration of the second Ugwuaji–Apir 330kV transmission line.

“Following the submission of the investigative report on the causes of previous grid collapses, TCN has begun addressing the identified weaknesses in the transmission system. Efforts are being made to close the gaps highlighted in the report, and to enhance the overall stability and resilience of the grid. These efforts include both technical upgrades and strategic interventions based on the committee’s recommendations,” it said.

However, until all significant repairs and rehabilitation are completed, there will probably be some degree of system instability, the company stressed, calling for public patience and understanding.