The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) says the industrial action of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has led to “major generation shortfalls” on the national grid.
On Saturday, PENGASSAN instructed its members to embark on a nationwide strike over Dangote refinery’s dismissal of “over 800 workers”.
Dangote refinery had said the strike action was aimed at weaponising hardship against Nigerians.
Commenting on the development in a statement on Tuesday, the NISO reported a 25.58 percent or 1,100MW reduction in available power generation, plummeting from over 4,300MW in the early hours of Sunday to around 3,200MW at its lowest point.
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The system operator said contingency measures were promptly deployed in response to the generation shortfalls to preserve the stability, security, and reliability of the national grid.
“Key interventions include: Hydropower Optimisation: Strategic ramp-ups from major hydro stations, contributing over 400 MW of additional output to cushion the shortfall from gas-fired plants,” the NISO said.
“Generation Dispatch and Load Balancing: Real-time load adjustments to match available generation with system demand, while preventing a system frequency collapse.
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“Voltage and Frequency Support: Continuous deployment of reactive power compensation and reserve monitoring to safeguard system integrity.
“Demand-Side Management: Selective load shedding, applied as a last resort, to avert a system-wide collapse and ensure fair power distribution.
“These timely actions enabled the NISO NCC to minimise the impact of the labour-induced gas shortages, sustain operational security, and maintain supply to critical loads, thereby averting a nationwide blackout.”
In addition, the NISO reaffirmed its commitment to proactive grid management, operational excellence, and the application of best-in-class practices to guarantee a secure and reliable electricity supply for Nigeria.
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On Monday, the National Industrial Court in Abuja issued an interim order stopping PENGASSAN from proceeding with its nationwide industrial action against Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
But despite this, PENGASSAN is receiving support with another strike action from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
