NEWS
NISO Confirms Multiple 330kV Grid Trippings After Power Generation Crashed 88%
NISO Confirms Multiple 330kV Grid Trippings After Power Generation Crashed 88%
NISO has confirmed multiple trippings on Nigeria’s 330kV transmission network at about 12.40pm on Monday, providing an official explanation for the sharp disruption earlier reported on the electricity system.
The incident coincided with an 88 per cent plunge in power generation, from about 3,840MW at 7am to 476.70MW by 1pm, as several major generating plants recorded zero output.
NISO insists the disturbance affected only a section of the national grid, rejecting reports suggesting that the entire electricity network had collapsed.
The System Operator says restoration has been completed and normal grid operations restored, following emergency corrective measures undertaken with the Transmission Company of Nigeria.
October 19, () – The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) has confirmed that multiple trippings occurred on the country’s critical 330-kilovolt transmission network on Monday, hours after electricity generation plunged dramatically by about 88 per cent and triggered outages in parts of the country.
NISO, in an official statement issued on Monday evening, said the incident occurred at approximately 12.40pm on October 19, 2026, but maintained that it affected only a section of the national grid and did not amount to a total system collapse.
reports that the confirmation provides an official explanation for the sudden disruption that saw electricity generation crash from about 3,840 megawatts at 7am to just 476.70MW by 1pm.
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The System Operator said it immediately commenced corrective measures in collaboration with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and had successfully restored normal operations.
“The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) wishes to inform the public that at approximately 12:40 hours on Monday, 19 October 2026, the national grid experienced multiple trippings on the 330kV transmission network.
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“Following the incident, NISO, working with TCN, immediately implemented appropriate corrective measures to stabilise the power system and restore normal operations.
“Restoration efforts have been completed, and the national grid has returned to normal operation,” the statement explained.
NISO Rejects Reports Of Total Grid Collapse
While acknowledging the transmission disturbance, NISO pushed back against reports suggesting that the entire national grid had collapsed. It said the multiple trippings affected only part of the interconnected electricity network.
“NISO wishes to clarify that the incident affected only a section of the grid, contrary to unverified reports and claims currently circulating in the media,” the System Operator said.
It urged electricity consumers and other members of the public to rely on its official communication channels for information on developments affecting the power system.
“The public is therefore advised to disregard misleading information and rely on official NISO communication channels for accurate and verified updates on the status of the national grid,” it added.
NISO said it remained committed to maintaining grid stability, ensuring reliable operation of the national electricity transmission system and providing timely information on developments affecting the network.
Generation Crashed By More Than 3,300MW
The confirmation came hours after data from the power system showed an extraordinary decline in electricity generation around the same period that NISO now says the transmission trippings occurred.
Generation had stood at approximately 3,840MW at 7am and remained relatively stable during the morning before falling sharply around 12.40pm.
By 1pm, output had crashed to 476.70MW, representing a loss of more than 3,300MW, or approximately 88 per cent, within hours.
The timing corresponds with NISO’s confirmation that multiple trippings occurred on the 330kV transmission network at approximately 12.40pm.
Several major generating stations, including Egbin, Jebba, Shiroro and Kainji, recorded zero output during the disruption, alongside a number of gas-fired facilities.
Only a handful of generating stations, including Odukpani NIPP, Omotosho and Sapele, were contributing limited electricity to the grid at the height of the disruption.
At about 1.23pm, real-time generation remained around 480MW, with only five generating companies recording electricity output.
Consumers also reported electricity outages around the period of the disturbance, with complaints emerging from about 12.45pm.
Before Monday evening’s official statement, a senior NISO official had denied that the national grid had suffered a collapse, saying there was no system-wide disturbance and suggesting that reported outages could have resulted from local faults or temporary tripping.
“There is no disturbance at the moment. Probably if something is happening, maybe it is a local issue, but there is nothing on the grid,” the official had said.
The official also explained that temporary outages could result from tripping and other technical problems that could be corrected within minutes.
Another Test for a Fragile Power System
Monday’s disturbance comes against the backdrop of persistent instability in Nigeria’s electricity sector, where grid disturbances, generation shortages, transmission constraints and inadequate gas supply have repeatedly disrupted electricity supply to homes and businesses.
Successive system failures have frequently left large parts of the country without public electricity and forced businesses and households to rely on expensive alternative sources of power.
The Federal Government has recently approved plans for the development of new eastern and western power grids, part of efforts to strengthen the electricity transmission network and reduce the impact of recurring system disturbances.
The proposed infrastructure is expected to improve flexibility and resilience in a power system that has historically depended heavily on a single interconnected national network.
Monday’s incident again exposed the vulnerability of that system, with multiple transmission trippings coinciding with the loss of more than 3,300MW of generation within hours.
NISO, however, said corrective measures undertaken with TCN had successfully stabilised the system and that the national grid had returned to normal operation by Monday evening.
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