– Grid collapses third time in 2022
– Fuel scarcity persists
– Emergency stakeholders meeting enters day-2
OpeOluwani Akintayo
Lagos — Nigeria‘s recurring energy crisis has taken a turn for the worst, as the country’s national grid reportedly collapsed barely 48 hours after it was restored.
The grid, again, collapsed around 5pm on Tuesday after another collapse recorded on Monday, plunging the country into total darkness.
The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC had in a public announcement to its customers on Tuesday, described the grid collapse as “total”.
The Eko Electricity Distribution Company, EKEDC had also informed its customers of the grid shutdown.
In a notice to power users in its franchise area, Eko Disco said; “Dear esteemed customers, we would like to inform you of another system collapse on the national grid which occurred at 5:10pm today (Tuesday).
“We are monitoring the situation and will continue to provide updates. Once again, we apologise for the inconvenience.”
Also, the Head, Corporate Communications, Ikeja Electric Plc, Mr. Felix Ofulue, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.
SweetcrudeReports gathered that the meeting summoned by the power minister, Abubakar Aliyu on Monday over issues in the sector, had dragged on till late night on Tuesday.
The meeting had in attendant representatives from power generation companies, Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, Distribution Companies, DisCos, including the Nigerian Bulk Electricity’s Trading, NBET, the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, NDPHC, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Shell and others in the power value chain.
Other power distributors also said the collapse had disrupted power supply within their networks as customers experience blackouts nationwide.
Industry sources told SweetcrudeReports, that at the time of the collapse on Tuesday, no power generation company was supplying electricity on the grid.
They stated that latest grid collapse was multiple, especially from the gas-fired power plants.
Other sources blamed the situation on activities of vandals, adding that some gas pipelines had been ruptured.
The sad occurrences come on the heels of petrol scarcity currently being experienced across the country.
The scarcity has persisted for over two months now.
SweetcrudeReports had reported how no less than 14 power plants had been in a state of limbo for the past two months.
The situation was compounded by vandalism of the Ogoda/Brass 24 oil pipeline at Okparatubo at Nembe Local Government Area, Bayelsa State on March 5.
The crisis had led to parent company of Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC, Eni declaring a force majeure on Brass terminal, Bonny NLNG and Okpai Power Plant.
Although, a follow-up note from Eni to SweetcrudeReports on Tuesday, said the embargo will be lifted this week.
Deferred production was estimated at 25 kbopd oil and about 13 MSm3/d gas.
This is the second blast in the area in a few days.
Former event occurred on a riser of Obama/Brass 18″ oil line on 28th February and caused a production deferment of about 5,000 bopd for a few days.
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