Power Transmission: TCN Laments Over Protesting Unions’ Shutdown Of
National Electric Power Grid

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has lamented that despite efforts being made to resolve issues against which the electricity unions embarked on protests, the striking workers had shutdown the national electric power grid.

The unions are protesting against non-payment of their outstanding entitlements, non-representation in TCN Board and the requirement of sitting for examination before promotion to next cader by certain categories of workers.

“The incident occurred at 15:01Hrs, Wednesday after several 330kV transmission lines and 33kV feeder-lines across the power system network had been switched off by the Union members, resulting in generation-load imbalance and multiple voltage escalations at critical stations and substations.

“Regrettably, this is coming weeks after we had emerged from hectic grid management regime, precipitated by paucity of generation, which we grappled with for a couple of months”, a statement by the TCN General Manager, Public Affairs, Mrs. Ndidi Mbah said.

It would be recalled, in tandem with the initiative of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission on Partial Activation of Contracts – coupled with the stream of interventions by the Ministry of Power and other stakeholders in the Value Chain – grid generation (at Peak) had reached 4,830.69MW as at Tuesday, the 16th of August, 2022.

However, Mrs. Mbah assured that despite the current setback, TCN is set to restore the grid as quickly as possible as the Ministries of Power and Labour & Employment were meeting with the Union Officials in order to resolve the issues.

“The Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry appreciates the understanding of our customers – within and outside the country. Enduring mechanisms are being instituted to avert a situation of this kind, going forward”, she stated.