Power Minister Sets Up Special Committee to Strengthen National Grid Reliability
By Matthew Eloyi
The Minister of Power, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, has established a six-member committee to advise the Federal Government on strategies to enhance the robustness and reliability of Nigeria’s national power grid.
This was disclosed in a statement by Mr. Bolaji Tunji, Special Adviser on Strategic Communication and Media Relations to the Minister, on Tuesday in Abuja.
Following recent grid disturbances, the minister summoned the leadership of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) for an emergency meeting over the weekend.
The committee is headed by Mrs. Nafisat Ali, Executive Director of the Independent System Operator (ISO), and includes Dr. Chidi Ike, NERC Commissioner; Engr. Ishola, General Manager of the National Control Centre (NCC); Mr. Emmanuel Nosike, Director of Transmission at the Ministry of Power; Mr. Ali Sharifai, General Manager of the Transmission Service Provider (TSP); and Mr. Adedayo Olowoniyi, Chief Technical Adviser to the Minister of Power. The committee is tasked with submitting its report by November 1.
The committee’s responsibilities include identifying the root causes of recent grid incidents, particularly investigating potential sabotage, and providing a comprehensive review of grid stability. It will also determine the necessary investments and technical upgrades required to make the grid smarter and more resilient.
Minister Adelabu expressed dissatisfaction with the recent incidents, noting that they threatened to undermine the progress made in the power sector over the past year.
Tunji highlighted that on October 14, a partial grid collapse occurred due to the tripping of a line at the Jebba Transmission Substation and a recurring fault at the Osogbo Transmission Substation. Restoration efforts were hindered, leading to further disruptions the following day. The grid was fully restored by October 16.
Contrary to widespread reports of a grid collapse on October 19, Tunji clarified that what occurred was a deliberate protective shutdown following the explosion of a transformer at the Jebba Substation, adding that the issue was resolved within two hours.
“What we had were more grid disturbances than collapses,” he stated, explaining that the preliminary investigation into the Jebba incident pointed to ageing equipment as the cause of the transformer explosion, unrelated to the initial collapse.
The newly formed committee will complement ongoing government initiatives such as the Presidential Power Initiatives (PPI) and the Nigeria Electricity Transmission Project (NETAP), which aim to ensure a stable and reliable power supply across the country. Additionally, a technical team has been dispatched to assess critical nodes on the grid, identify potential vulnerabilities, and recommend measures to prevent future disruptions.
