The Federal Government has revealed plans to establish a decentralized national grid to prevent nationwide blackouts.
Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, who briefed State House correspondents after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on Monday, attributed the recent grid failures to Nigeria’s outdated infrastructure.
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“The grid actually was disturbed one time, and we deliberately shut it down the second time because of the explosion of the transformer at Jeba plant. Before this, the last disturbance on the grid was about four months ago, which meant that we have been managing the grid,” he explained.
He noted that Nigeria’s national grid is over 50 years old, with weak transmission lines, falling towers, and old substations and transformers.
“In fact, the transformer that actually exploded in Jeba was 47 years old. We’ve been trying to revamp this, to change them, but they cannot all be changed overnight.”
Adelabu revealed that the government is exploring three solutions to address the issue.
“One of the ways to stop nationwide blackout is by having states or regional grids, so that a problem in a particular line will not affect the others,” he said.
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He also mentioned the establishment of a super grid, a backup grid to ensure alternative power transmission in case of disruptions, and a distributed power model, which involves solar-powered utilities for each northern State to reduce reliance on the national grid.
Regarding the blackout affecting 17 northern states, Adelabu explained that it was caused by vandalized transmission lines.
He assured that power would be restored soon, citing progress in upgrading the Shiroro Kaduna transmission line.
“The transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, had already set out to fix this line. What they have asked for, which has been provided to them now, is the security cover of the National Security Adviser through the Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Air Staff to enable them restore the damaged lines,” he disclosed.
President Tinubu has directed the National Security Adviser to provide security for the TCN to repair damaged lines.
On compensation for affected Nigerians, Adelabu confirmed that there would be no billing for periods of blackout.
“We are working on ensuring that for those days during which they suffered blackout, there should not be billing of any sort.”
The Minister appealed to Nigerians to bear with the government, assuring that power would be restored soon.
He concluded: “Let me also state that the world is moving. This is the 21st century, and we believe that the most effective way of supplying uninterrupted, functional, stable, and reliable electricity to the northern part of Nigeria is through our distributed power model.”
