Reports emerged on Monday of a nationwide blackout around 2:47 p.m., leading to widespread speculation about a national grid collapse.
However, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has clarified that the incident was not a grid collapse but rather a tripping event caused by arcing on the Benin-Egbin 330kV isolator.
This arcing led to line tripping and a subsequent loss of power supply to several regions, including the Lagos axis, parts of the South West Region, parts of the North Central, and Abuja.
Ndidi Mbah, the General Manager of Public Affairs at TCN, explained in a statement on Tuesday that the tripping began with a heavy system surge, causing the arcing of the Benin-Egbin 330kV line isolator fingers at the Egbin Transmission Substation switchyard.
This resulted in the tripping of the Egbin Generating Station and the loss of power supply to all outgoing lines from the Egbin Transmission Substation. To prevent further instability, the Osogbo-Ihovbor 330kV line was temporarily opened, cutting off the flow of electricity on that line.
The situation was quickly addressed, and by 6:10 p.m. on the same day, full bulk power supply was restored to the affected areas. Despite media reports suggesting a system collapse, TCN emphasized that the incident did not lead to a complete grid failure.
The company also noted that other regions, including the South Eastern region, North East, and other parts of North Central and South West, maintained full power supply throughout the event.
This clarification comes amidst concerns over the frequency of grid-related issues, as the national grid has reportedly collapsed 227 times from 2010 to April 2024. The TCN's swift response and restoration efforts highlight the ongoing challenges and complexities in managing the national power grid.
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