The Federal Government has established a forensic investigative committee to tackle the recurring national grid collapse that has plunged the country into darkness.
Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of Power, announced this decision following an emergency meeting on Tuesday with leaders of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
Adelabu expressed disappointment over the incidents, saying they undermine the progress made in the past year, resulting in a record 5,527 megawatts of generated and distributed power.
“The Committee is to also establish the root cause of both incidents, especially a review of potential sabotage on the system,” Adelabu said.
“The Committee will holistically review the national grid stability and identify investments and technical capacities required to make the grid smart and resilient.”
The forensic investigation committee will identify solutions to strengthen the national grid, determine the root causes of collapses, and assess potential sabotage.
Additionally, a six-member technical committee, headed by Nafisat Ali, Executive Director of the Independent System Operator (ISO), will evaluate critical grid nodes to identify vulnerabilities.
Members include Chidi Ike (NERC Commissioner), Engr. Ishola (National Control Centre GM), Engr. Emmanuel Nosike (Transmission Director, Federal Ministry of Power), Engr. Ali Sharifai (Transmission Service Provider GM), and Mr. Adedayo Olowoniyi (Chief Technical Adviser to the Minister of Power).
The technical committee’s task is to recommend measures to address vulnerabilities and prevent future disruptions. Their report is due to the Minister by November 1, 2024.
This year has seen eight grid collapses, with incidents reported on February 4, March 28, April 15, July 6, August 5, October 14, October 15, and October 19.
Persecondnews reports that TCN had on Tuesday reported outages in northeast, northwest, and north-central regions due to transmission line trips.
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