NISO Gives Fresh Update on Electricity Supply Drop in Lagos, Abuja, Northern Nigeria
- NISO said recent power allocation cuts to Lagos, Abuja and northern Nigeria were caused by transmission line outages and network constraints, not a shortage of electricity generation
- Several transmission faults reduced the amount of power that could safely reach areas served by DisCos, forcing temporary cuts and revised allocations
- NISO said some affected transmission lines have been restored and stressed that the measures were necessary to protect the national grid from wider disruptions
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Legit.ng journalist Victor Enengedi has over a decade's experience covering energy, MSMEs, technology, banking and the economy.
The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) has explained that recent reductions in electricity allocations to distribution companies (DisCos) in Lagos, Abuja and parts of northern Nigeria were caused by transmission constraints and line outages, not inadequate power generation.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the system operator said several faults on the transmission network reduced the amount of electricity that could be safely transferred to some parts of the country.
Source: UGC
NISO said it had to temporarily adjust allocations to DisCos to keep the national grid operating within safe limits.
Transmission faults hit Lagos
The operator explained that having enough electricity generated does not necessarily mean every part of the country can receive the same amount of power.
According to NISO, electricity delivery depends heavily on the capacity and availability of transmission infrastructure, as well as the configuration of the network at any given time.
Lagos was affected by outages on the Olorunsogo-Ayede 330kV Line 1, Benin-Egbin 330kV Line 1 and Benin-Omotosho 330kV Line 1. The Osogbo-Ikeja West circuit was also unavailable for an extended period.
NISO said the combined faults reduced the amount of electricity that could be transmitted safely into Lagos, leading to revised allocations for Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), Ikeja Electric and the Sakete international supply.
Northern corridor faces multiple outages
NISO said the northern transmission corridor was also affected after the Shiroro-Mararaba 330kV Line 1 tripped between August 24 and 26.
The outage meant the remaining transmission circuit had to carry the load serving Abuja and northern areas.
The situation became more serious at 6:47am on August 27 when Shiroro-Mando 330kV Line 2 and Mando-Jos 330kV Line 1 tripped simultaneously.
NISO said Mando-Jos Line 1 was left as the only available circuit serving Jos and the north-east, while the Apir-Lafia 330kV Lines 1 and 2 had remained unavailable because of faults.
The disruptions significantly reduced power transfer to Jos and the north-east. Changes in the Mando transmission substation configuration further limited electricity movement, prompting NISO to revise allocations to Kano, Kaduna, Jos, Yola and other affected locations.
Abuja supply recovered after repairs
The Abuja axis experienced a temporary transmission constraint on August 29 after Shiroro-Katampe 330kV Line 1 and Gwagwalada-Katampe 330kV Line 1 tripped simultaneously at about 3:55am.
NISO said the lines were restored at 7:25am and 7:20am respectively, allowing transmission capacity to Abuja to recover.
Source: UGC
The operator said it continuously monitors the national grid and adjusts generation dispatch and DisCo allocations according to available transmission capacity and network conditions.
It stressed that reducing or redistributing power during transmission faults is necessary to prevent wider disruptions across the interconnected national grid.
Source: Legit.ng
