Darkness Hits Nigeria as National Grid Collapses Again
By Wisdom Tide
October 14, 2024
Confirmation of the Collapse
Emeka Ezeh, spokesperson for the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), confirmed the collapse in a statement released on Monday evening. According to Ezeh, the general system collapse occurred at 18:48 hours, resulting in widespread power outages across the EEDC's service area.
“The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) wishes to inform its esteemed customers of a general system collapse that occurred at 18:48 hours today, 14th October 2024. This has resulted in the loss of supply currently being experienced across the EEDC network,” the statement read.
Impact on Electricity Supply
Due to the grid failure, all interface Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) stations serviced by EEDC are out of operation, affecting power delivery to customers in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States. Ezeh indicated that the company is on standby, awaiting further information regarding the collapse and the timeline for restoration of services from the National Control Centre (NCC) in Osogbo.
Similarly, the Eko Distribution Company (Eko Disco) also acknowledged the grid collapse in its communication to customers, stating, “Dear Valued Customer, kindly be informed there was a system collapse at 18:48 hours, which has resulted in a loss of power supply across our network. We are currently working with our partners as we hope for speedy restoration of the grid. We will keep you updated as soon as power supply is restored. Kindly bear with us.”
Observations of Power Supply Interruptions
Daily Post reported that power supply was notably interrupted around 6:50 PM on the same day. This incident follows a series of similar occurrences, with the grid partially collapsing in August 2024, leading to significant blackouts. Prior to this, there was another grid collapse in July 2024.
Historical Context of Grid Failures
Data from the Transmission Company of Nigeria indicates that the national grid has experienced collapse approximately 227 times over the past 14 years. This latest incident adds to the ongoing challenges facing Nigeria's electricity sector, exacerbated by a 240 percent increase in electricity tariffs implemented in April, further intensifying the hardships faced by Nigerians.
As the nation grapples with these persistent power supply issues, the need for sustainable solutions to stabilize the electricity sector becomes increasingly urgent
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