North marks 8th day without electricity

The outage began last Monday when the 330kV circuit transmission line between Benue and Enugu tripped.

Additionally, the transmission line connecting Shiroro and Kaduna was also impacted, affecting states such as Kano, Gombe, Kebbi, Jos, Kaduna, Benue, Bauchi, Adamawa, Taraba, Borno, Kwara, Nasarawa, and Yobe.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has acknowledged the ongoing outages and assured residents that they are taking “every possible measure” to restore power to the northern region.

According to the company, the 330kV DC Ugwaji-Apir double circuit tripped due to a fault. This latest issue occurred shortly after Nigeria faced three national grid collapses within a single week.

Yesterday, the TCN reiterated its commitment to restoring power in Northern Nigeria but attributed delays in restoration efforts to infrastructure challenges exacerbated by vandalism and insecurity.

In a statement from TCN spokesman Ndidi Mbah, it was revealed that the company is collaborating with the Office of the National Security Adviser to repair the vandalized Shiroro-Kaduna line, which has reduced bulk electricity supply to major northern cities, including Kaduna and Kano.

Mbah, TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, expressed confidence that bulk power supply would be restored promptly.

“TCN wants to emphasize that it is working diligently to reinstate bulk power supply as quickly as possible, despite existing security challenges,” the statement noted.

The statement also mentioned the vandalism of the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line by insurgents, prompting TCN to partner with the National Security Adviser’s office to secure the area, allowing engineers to work safely on restoration efforts.

According to TCN Executive Director (Independent System Operator) Engr. (Mrs) Nafisatu Ali, deploying engineers without security support is impractical due to the risks in the region.

She refuted any claims that restoration would be unnecessarily prolonged, reaffirming TCN’s commitment to providing a consistent electricity supply nationwide and that security arrangements are being implemented.

“The current outage affecting Northern states over the past several days is a direct result of the vandalism of the Shiroro-Mando transmission line, which is critical for supplying electricity to the area. Ongoing insecurity has hindered the urgent repairs needed to restore supply.

“However, as a temporary solution, TCN has rerouted bulk power supply through the Ugwuaji-Apir 330kV line, which recently experienced issues. TCN has been closely collaborating with the Office of the National Security Adviser to facilitate access for our engineers to the vandalism site, ensuring that necessary repairs can be made safely, which is vital for protecting lives during the restoration process,” the statement concluded.