The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is ramping up efforts to restore electricity to the northern regions of the country. During a media briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, Managing Director Sule Abdulaziz announced that repairs on the damaged transmission lines, which have caused widespread blackouts in the north, are expected to be completed by November 3.
On October 22, TCN reported power outages affecting the north-east, north-west, and parts of north-central Nigeria due to the tripping of the 330-kilovolt Ugwuaji–Apir double circuit transmission lines 1 and 2. The company also noted that vandalism of the Shiroro-Kaduna line had further reduced electricity supply to major cities including Kaduna and Kano.
Abdulaziz explained that the affected areas have been secured with assistance from the Nigerian Army, allowing for ongoing restoration efforts on one of the damaged lines. “Restoration of one of these lines will allow TCN to wheel about 400 Megawatts (MW) of power in that corridor,” he said.
He emphasized the urgency of repairing the second line on Ugwuaji–Apir, with a target completion date of November 3. Successful restoration will enable TCN to transmit a substantial amount of power through the Apir to Jos, Kaduna, and Kano corridors.
Additionally, TCN is collaborating with the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to ensure the safety of personnel working on the Shiroro–Mando 330-kilovolt single circuit lines as rehabilitation of the impacted towers is set to begin.
Abdulaziz attributed the current blackout situation to vandalism of the Ugwuaji–Apir 330kV lines, which were reported damaged on October 21. He mentioned that a trial reclosure attempt failed and subsequent patrols revealed damaged conductors caused by the vandalism.
