Fifth grid crash as outgoing feeders left without supply
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
National power grid slumped again on Sunday, and has yet to revive, spreading blackout across Nigeria for the fifth time this year to make historical unstable supply even worse and raise energy costs for households and businesses alike.
Households and business generally rely on private power supply through generators with a combined N12 trillion cost to the economy each year as of 2021.
The national grid had collapsed twice in March and twice in April in 2022, as power supply continues to fluctuate because of inadequacies around gas constraint, water management, gas pipeline vandalism, et cetera.
At the current rate of an average nearly one grid collapse per month, the national cost of operating private power generators is bound to rise this year.
The latest slump occurred around 6.49pm on Sunday, leading to the shutdown of outgoing feeders of some power distribution companies (DisCos).
Both Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KEDC) confirmed the collapse.
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Loss of power from outgoing feeders
“Dear esteemed customers, we regret to inform you that the power outage being experienced in our franchise states is due to system collapse of the national grid.
“The collapse occurred at about 18:47pm this evening hence the loss of supply on all our outgoing feeders.
“Power supply shall be restored as soon as the national grid is powered back. Our sincere apologies for any inconvenience,” KEDC announced on Twitter, per reporting by The PUNCH.
EED Corporate Communications Head Emeka Ezeh confirmed the grid collapse threw the five South East states into total blackout.
“The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc wishes to inform her esteemed customers of a system collapse which occurred at 6.49pm this evening, Sunday, June 12, 2022,” Ezeh explained in a statement.
“As a result of this development, all our outgoing feeders are out and this has affected supply to our customers in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States.
“We are on standby, awaiting further information on restoration of supply from the National Control Centre. Thank you.”
Permanent feature
Nigeria Consumer Protection Network (NCPN) President Kunle Olubiyo said the situation is of concern but blackouts are no longer new.
“To some of the electricity consumers, there are already used to perpetual darkness. Grid collapse to them is a permanent feature,” he added.
“That means that their own grid collapse is indefinite. And when they get a flash at all of 20 minutes or an hour or two, all you will hear will be ‘up NEPA!’”