TCN says national grid fully restored after partial collapse

The national grid, which collapsed on Saturday afternoon, has fully recovered, according to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

It was restored about 9.57 p.m. on Saturday after a partial collapse, according to TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah.

She said in a statement in Abuja on Sunday that there was a partial disturbance of the grid at about 3.09 p.m. on Saturday, July 6.

Mbah said operators commenced restoration efforts immediately after the incident, pointing out that “at about 9.57 p.m. on Saturday, the entire part of the grid that was affected was successfully restored.”

“The system disturbance, which brings to three, partial grid disturbances, with one total disturbance in 2024, is suspected to have been triggered by the unexpected tripping of three units of a power generating station.

“It suddenly removed 313 megawatts from the grid, causing system instability that led to the loss of bulk supply to a section of the national grid,” she said, adding that the system operator reacted to the sudden drop in generation, which led to a dip in frequency.

Mbah said the system operator accomplished this by islanding a section of the grid, which includes the Ibom Power Station, through which the company continued to feed Uyo, Aba, Itu, Eket, Calabar, and others, even when the other section of the grid had no supply.