Nationwide blackout as grid collapses again

Nigeria has been left in darkness, as the electricity grid, controlled from Osogbo, Osun State, collapsed at about 4:30 pm yesterday.

Most distribution companies across the country disclosed that their feeders were out, thereby leaving their franchise area across the 36 states in darkness.

While the grid’s output was 2984 megawatts as of 4 pm, the 21 plants on the grid had zero output as of 5 pm.

Just last month, the grid collapsed, leaving the entire country in darkness even at a time when the industry is asking customers to pay more.

In the last 10 years that the grid was privatised to overhaul the despondent state of the sector, the grid has collapsed on over 141 occasions.

As of 6pm when this report was filed, Azura was the only plant on the grid with a capacity of 54 megawatts. Other plants, including Egbin, Afam, Geregu, Ibom Power, Jebba, Kainji, Odukpani and Olorunsogo, had zero output.