National Power Grid collapsing intermittently since Sunday – PHED

Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) has notified electricity consumers in Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states that the National Power Grid has been collapsing intermittently for some days now.

According to John Iboma, head of corporate communications of PHED, in an interview with BusinessDay in Port Harcourt, the PHED has been receiving zero power intermittently from the National Grid, as a result of the collapse, which first occurred on Sunday, June 19.

He said since June 19, the National Power Grid had collapsed three times, with zero megawatts generation, informing that the latest collapse was on Wednesday, when it crashed completely for more than two hours; came up briefly before collapsing again and again.

Iboma said the implication of the collapse of the National Grid is that most cities in the four states are now witnessing blackout.
He said PHED would source for power from alternative sources to mitigate the impact of the collapse of the National Grid on electricity consumers.

He also said PHED had been receiving an average of 80 megawatts, though at times the supply got to as low as 42 megawatts, adding that PHED would distribute the little power it was able to generate from alternative sources within the period to only customers who were willing to pay.

BusinessDay gathered reliably that the power need of the four states overseen by PHED, was 600 megawatts. The states are: Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross Rivers and Rivers.

Meanwhile, in Rivers State, electricity consumers have been experiencing the worst power supplies not seen in recent time. In some parts of Port Harcourt, the state capital, consumers have gone for two weeks without a single power supply.

In a related development, at least two electricity staff were reported to have been electrocuted on an electricity high-tension pole, while repairing a damaged portion of the tower. The third person was said to have been badly burnt, and was in critical state at an undisclosed hospital in Port Harcourt.

But, Iboma said he could not confirm that, stating that their staff do not undertake work on high-tension poles.