Nationwide blackout is imminent, as the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) recorded its first electricity system collapse in 2024.
The incident has scuttled the distribution of electricity by the electricity distribution companies, DisCos, to all parts of the nation.
In a notice to its customers, the management of Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc (AEDC) said the system collapse occurred “at 11:21 hours today, February 4, 2024, which has led to a nationwide power outage.”
The development comes after electricity supply dropped in parts of the country over constraints in gas supply to electricity generation companies.
In 2023, Nigerians experienced at least three nationwide blackouts on September 14, 19 and December 11.
Recall that barely two days ago, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, had begged Nigerians to be patient with the government over challenges facing the country’s power sector.
Adelabu said this while expressing concerns over the poor electricity supply situation in the country caused by numerous issues including outstanding subsidy debts.
He advocated that Nigeria should migrate to a full cost-reflective tariff regime if the federal government cannot pay for subsidies owed to the market.
Adelabu also stated that the National Independent Power Plants (NIPPs) being operated and managed by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Plc (NDPHC) were currently suffering under-capacity utilisation of below 25 per cent due to gas supply constants.
“We have been to Olorunsogo and we are now in the Omotosho Power Plant. These are big power plants. I am impressed with the size and the technology of the power plants here. Their operational history is also impressive,” he said.
“And I am amazed at the level of underutilisation of these power installations. Each of them operates below 25 per cent capacity, when we are still complaining that power generation is low in this country. The under-capacity utilisation is due to a variety of reasons.
“The major part of it is the shortage in gas supply to these installations, which is why I needed to see these plants myself, to look at what can we do to improve the operational capacity of these plants.
Speaking about turbines to generate more power for the country, he said, “What can we do to support these power plants to operate at impressive capacity, so that power supply will improve nationwide?”
He said he would later engage with the management of the power companies to effective means of partnership and cooperation such that the federal government could support them to improve their operational capacity, and consequently improve the level of power supply to the distribution companies.