The Minister of Power, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu has established a six-member committee tasked with advising the Federal Government on enhancing the national grid’s reliability and robustness.
Mr. Bolaji Tunji, Special Adviser on Strategic Communication and Media Relations, announced this in Abuja on Tuesday. Leading the committee is Mr. Nafisat Ali, Executive Director of the Independent System Operator, joined by Dr. Chidi Ike, Commissioner at the NERC; Engr. Ishola, General Manager of the National Control Centre; Mr. Emmanuel Nosike, Director of Transmission at the Ministry of Power; Mr. Ali Sharifai, General Manager of the Transmission Service Provider; and Mr. Adedayo Olowoniyi, Chief Technical Adviser to the Minister of Power. The committee is expected to submit its report by November 1.
This committee will investigate the root causes of recent grid issues, particularly focusing on potential sabotage. It aims to conduct a comprehensive review of national grid stability and identify necessary investments and technical advancements to make the grid smarter and more resilient.
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The minister expressed concern over recent incidents that could undermine the progress made over the past year.
On October 14, a partial collapse occurred due to a line tripping at the Jebba Transmission Substation, compounded by recurring faults at the Osogbo Transmission Substation. While efforts to restore the grid faced setbacks, it was fully operational again by October 16.
Tunji clarified that there was no grid collapse on Tuesday, as widely reported; instead, a protective shutdown occurred following the explosion of a transformer at the Jebba facility, which was restored within two hours. The incidents were characterized more as disturbances than collapses.
Preliminary assessments indicate that the transformer explosion stemmed from aging equipment, unrelated to the earlier collapse. This new committee is part of ongoing initiatives, including the Presidential Power Initiatives and the Nigeria Electricity Transmission Project aimed at ensuring a dependable power supply.
In addition, a technical team has been deployed to assess critical nodes within the national grid to identify vulnerabilities and propose measures to prevent future disruptions.
The minister previously convened an emergency meeting with the leadership of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Transmission Company of Nigeria to discuss these disturbances.
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