The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has attributed the widespread power outage in parts of Northern Nigeria to a malfunction in its 330-kilovolt Ugwuaji–Apir double circuit transmission lines. The fault, which occurred on Monday, has left areas in the Northeast, Northwest, and some sections of the North central region without electricity.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, explained that the outage began when one of the Ugwuaji–Makurdi transmission lines tripped at approximately 4:53 a.m., causing a transfer of 243 megawatts to the remaining operational line. Unfortunately, just five minutes later, at 4:58 a.m., the second line also tripped, leading to a total loss of 468 MW.
Attempts were made to restore both lines at 5:15 a.m. and 5:17 a.m., but these efforts were unsuccessful as both circuits tripped again. TCN then dispatched teams from Apir and Enugu to investigate the 215-kilometer transmission route, which includes 245 towers.
The team from Apir conducted an extensive search throughout Monday, navigating tough landscapes and even crossing the River Benue, but they were unable to locate the issue. Their efforts resumed early on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the patrol team from Enugu was delayed due to the sit-at-home order in the Southeast, which impacted their ability to start the fault tracing. The movement restriction also prevented them from refuelling their patrol vehicles, but they have since resumed their work with security escort.
Although the 132kV transmission line between New Haven and Apir has been restored, the 330kV lines are still out of operation, affecting the power supply to the Northern region. Also, the Shiroro-Mando transmission line has been shut down due to security concerns, further exacerbating the situation.
TCN has assured the public that it is actively working to identify and resolve the fault to restore power. “We deeply regret the inconvenience this has caused to the government and electricity consumers in the affected regions,” said Mbah. She also acknowledged the difficulties faced by the repair teams due to challenging terrain, including swamps, rivers, and unsafe forest areas. The fault-finding mission, now supported by security personnel, continues as TCN aims to restore bulk power supply through the damaged lines as soon as possible.
