With the collapse of the National grid again, we look at plausible causes of this recent event.

The electric grid is also known as the power grid. It is made up of four major components, namely: Generating stations, electrical substations, high voltage transmission lines, and distribution lines.

Together, these are responsible for bringing electrical power to consumers from the power generating stations. It is a network of interconnected structures working together and doing their individual jobs.

Yesterday, 11th December 2019, the Nigerian National Grid collapsed again. This is for what seems like the 10th or 11th time this year alone. And this is becoming traditional, as each year since the turn of the decade hosts the collapse after the collapse of the structure.

What Causes the National Grid to Collapse?

Although the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has not attempted to explain the most recent collapse, it did offer an explanation for past ones. The TCN previously stated in the final quarter of the year that the distribution companies (DisCos) cause the damage sometimes.

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It explained that the DisCos rejected electricity allocation and thus overloaded the distribution lines. This leads to the total grid collapsing from too much to do.

This is not the only reason. The Electrical Consumer Protection Forum (ECPF) explained that sometimes, the final distribution stations use “obsolete” pieces of equipment. There was mention of a transformer that was about 30 years old in one report.

Using these types of equipment will lead to many electrical malfunctions. In the end, it gets to the grid as it is a part of it and causes the whole network collapse.

Also, some times, accidents like a fire outbreak or other damage can cause these issues. Natural disasters can also play a role in this.

A Cover-Up of Strike Action?

However, it looks like the 11th December collapse is more than just technical issues. Many people suspect that it is actually a cover-up story for the strike action that the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) embarked upon.

The two sides of the story are not yet well established but look to have some credibility. With the imminent reduction in the supply of electricity that the strike would lead to, it seems the authorities are checkmating the loss by offering what they deem a more acceptable reason.

See what the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) said:

Whatever the cause, we await the resolution of the issue.

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