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Tag: TCN

  • TCN restores national grid after fire incident at Afam power station

    TCN restores national grid after fire incident at Afam power station

    The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says the national grid has been fully restored after Monday’s fire incident at the Afam power generating station in Rivers.

    TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Mrs Ndidi Mbah, stated in Abuja that the fire caused a partial disturbance of the grid.

    “At about 2:41a.m., fire erupted at the Afam V 330kv bus bar coupler leading to the tripping of two units, Afam III and Afam VI.

    “This resulted in a sudden generation loss of 25mw and 305mw respectively at the two units; destabilising the grid and causing a partial collapse.

    Read Also: IBEDC reverses self on TCN, confirms error in band A feeders claim

    “The affected section of the grid has been fully restored and stabilised,’’ she stated.

    She explained that during the incident, the Ibom Power plant was isolated from the national grid and it supplied power to parts of Port Harcourt region, thereby minimising the effect of the system disturbance.

    “TCN reaffirms its commitment to enhance the resilience and reliability of the national grid and pledges to continue investing in measures to strengthen the grid infrastructure,’’ Mbah assured. (NAN)

  • TCN denies responsibility for IBEDC failure to meet estimated supply

    TCN denies responsibility for IBEDC failure to meet estimated supply

    The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has denied being responsible for Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) failure to meet estimated hours of supply to customers’ feeders.

    TCN General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah made this known in a rejoinder titled: “IBEDC’s publication on estimated hours of power supply.”

    She said: “The Transmission Company of Nigeria hereby notes that the publication circulated by IBEDC on 9th April 2024, which stated that TCN is responsible for its failure to “deliver estimated hours of supply to your feeder”, due to System Outages and Tripping on TCN” ‘s feeders is incorrect.”

    According to her, the TCN took time to investigate the allegation and wishes to set the record straight and hereby note as follows: That IBEDC’s publication on the 9th of April 2024 across their social media platforms, attributing their inability to deliver estimated hours of supply to its customers is incorrect. 

    She added that  the feeders mentioned in the publication are NOT within the TCN network. 

    This, according to the statement, means that most of the listed feeders in the publication are 11kV operated by IBEDC and completely outside TCN’s Operational Control and in IBEDC’s network. 

    Read Also: TCN allegedly struggles to pay salaries after mismanaging $500m

    Mbah further noted that the reasons given for the outage on IBEDC 11kV and 33kV are earth/ over current faults, which have no bearing on TCN’s frequency control operations.

    She sakd statement by IBEDC has been verified by TCN’s regional management in Osogbo in conjunction with IBEDC Officials themselves and has been proven to be false, necessitating necessary corrections being made.

    The statement reads in parts: “While TCN sees this misinformation of IBEDC as a ploy to undermine and mislead the public against regular power supply, we remain focused on supporting the government’s move towards a more robust and efficient power supply.

    “Consequently, TCN assures the public of its commitment to continue to work hard to effectively transport the entire bulk electricity received from the generating companies to distribution load centres nationwide.”

  • TCN allegedly struggles to pay salaries after mismanaging $500m

    TCN allegedly struggles to pay salaries after mismanaging $500m

    The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is battling to pay its salaries despite the $500million its former Managing Director, Dr. Usman Gur Mohammed, left in the coffers the government-owned firm, The Nation learnt.

    The erstwhile Chief Executive Officer, in an interview The Nation in yesterday, said the fund, which his management team raised from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) was allegedly grossly mismanaged.

    According to him, he also left some concessionary funds in addition to the $500million.

    Efforts to speak to TCN’s Public Affairs General Manager, Ndidi Mbah, were unsuccessful as calls made to his phone were unanswered while the Whatsapp message sent to him also failed to elicit response at the time of filing this report.

    Mohammed said: “But, by the time I left TCN, apart from the concessionary fund I left, I left almost $500million from the IGR that we set.

    Read Also: TCN sends 3009MW despite band A tariff hike

    “And we did salary increase for TCN staff cumulatively from the time to the time I left close to 10per cent.

    “Yet, we were able to save about $500million. But now because the place is not properly managed, go there and you will find out that they are struggling to pay salaries.”

    He recalled that he requested an extraordinary tariff increase from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) that was never approved for the TCN.

    Mohammed noted that despite the failure to secure the tariff review, he was able to manage the concessionary funds of the company and saved the huge IGR aside the regular payment of salaries.

    The former TCN boss, who said the challenges in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) were not as worse and surmountable as they appear, noted that the government only needed competent hands to manage the sector.

  • Why transmission towers are collapsing, by ex-TCN boss

    Why transmission towers are collapsing, by ex-TCN boss

    Owing to the high frequency at which transmission towers are falling nationwide, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the  former Managing Director, Dr.  Usman Gur Mohammed, has revealed  that the towers are collapsing because there was fraud in their contract implementation.

    He made this known in an interview with The Nation yesterday in Abuja.

    He noted that some of the towers must have fallen on their own without anyone attacking them because they did not comply with the specification of the right wind zone towers.

    “What I want to tell you is that these towers you see, some of them are actually collapsing not because somebody touched them but because there was fraud in the towers.

    “They are not the towers for that particular place.

    “That is the truth. So, once we continue to do corruption we will always have problem,” he said.

    He explained that there are different wind zones from the coastal region to the north, stressing that stronger towers are required in the north where there is violent wind.

    Mohammed noted that installing a lesser tower in a higher wind zone could earn the contractors a huge profit.

    Read Also: Power: TCN, NERC battling to ease lingering outages

    He recalled how his management team refused to approve the contract for the evacuation of power from Zungeru when the contractor failed to meet the specific wind zone towers.

    The ex-TCN boss said, “There is something I also want to let you know. It is the same way they do fraud under road, they do frauds in transmission towers.

    “There is what we call wind zone. This wind zone determines the strength of the towers. So from the south up to the north, close to the coastal side up to the north, we have wind zone.

    ” The more you move away from the coastal, the wind becomes stronger. So, we have wind zone A, B, C, D.

    “If you sign a contract for wind zone C, and you approve the towers for work and zone B, the difference in money is significant.

    “I recall when we were to approve the transmission line that would  evacuate Zungeru, we fought with the consultant for up to six months.When they brought  a wrong wind zone we refused to approve it.”

    Mohammed also attributed the vandalization of the towers to the worsening insecurity in the country.

    According to him, there was nothing like kidnapping in the north central while he was the managing director of the company but today it is a suicide mission to patrol the Shiroro and Zungeru axis.

    He vehemently defended the TCN staff that are being suspected for perpetrating the crime, stressing they would not commit the crime for fear of losing their well-paid job.

    He said, “I doubt if a sensible TCN engineer can do this because TCN is the best paid in the industry.

    “I increased their salaries so why would they want to lose their job.”

    According to him, most  of the in-house engineers he trained have retired and the dearth of technical manpower is now the bane of the company.

    The remaining few in-house engineers, according to him, cannot be the ones vandalizing the towers.

    Mohammed, however, urged the security operatives to investigate and uncover those responsible for the economic sabotage.

    “But the allegation is there for the government to go and put their security,” he said.

  • Power: TCN, NERC battling to ease lingering outages

    Power: TCN, NERC battling to ease lingering outages

    • DisCos blame it all on low supply from GenCos, weak infrastructure

    Blackout persisted in most states yesterday with Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) restating reasons for the development.

    Consumers who spoke to The Nation lamented that the situation has been worse since January than it was last year.

    “In February, my area had an average of four to five hours of power supply daily but since last month, I have deliberately decided not to think about electricity because some days it is zero,” said Catherine Odeyingbo, a major frozen foods seller in Ikeja, Lagos.

    Another resident, who produces sachet water in Ibeju-Lekki, Goriola Olusanya, said the cost of running his business had become unbearable due to the non-availability of electricity.

    “I cannot imagine how I will continue to buy diesel at such an expensive rate to do my business.

    “Generator is supposed to be a backup energy source. Today, it has become the mainstay because the DisCo cannot deliver on its mandate,” Olusanya said.

    Many homes across the country are suffering from incessant power cuts or no electricity at all for days.

    Yet, the weather has been extremely hot.

    Most industrial clusters in Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt and other major cities which enjoy preferential power supply have also witnessed severely low supply.

    The frequent collapse of the national grid has further compounded the power crisis.

    A Federal Capital Territory resident, James Okon, said: “The reforms in the power sector have taken us nowhere. I think we are worse off today.

    “The situation is not helped by the heat wave we are experiencing day and night.”

    But most of the 11 DisCos apologised, saying many factors, especially low generation and weak transmission, were responsible.

    Other DisCos attributed the blackouts to vandalism, debts and programmed upgrades of electric facilities.

    The Federal Government said it was addressing the causes of problems in the sector.

    Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu assured that the situation would soon be over as the root causes of problems were being tackled. 

    He appealed to electricity consumers nationwide to exercise patience.

    A Chief Executive Officer of one of the DisCos, who asked not to be named, said one of the surest ways to guarantee regular supply was for the Federal Government to improve the weak wheeling capacity of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) through investment.

    Read Also: TCN restores grid after collapse

    The TCN last weekend said after it restored the collapsed national grid on Friday, some DisCos were unable to evacuate their allocations.

    Early yesterday, total generation stood at 4,000MW but it dropped to 3,417MW as of 4.43 pm.

    TCN Public Affairs, General Manager, Ndidi Mbah, said: “Total Generation is around 4,000 MW, not 5,508 MW.”

    Mbah explained that since DisCos cover specific franchise areas, it was their duty to ensure that electricity got to their customers there.

    “TCN does not distribute electricity,” she said, urging our reporter to “call the distribution companies covering the specific areas that you know for sure have outage issues”.

    She added: “I say this because local distribution faults are not the responsibility of TCN.

    “It is only when they tell you that we are at fault that we (TCN) can come in by reaching out to the substation in the area to find out what went wrong.

    “But you must note that while total grid collapse puts the entire nation in the dark, partial grid collapse affects a section of the country.

    “After the last national grid collapse (the fourth this year), the entire grid was fully recovered the same day.”

    As of 4:43pm when power dipped to 3,417MW, AEDC received 611MW while EEDC’s allocation, which was 1,026MW when the total generation stood at 4,000MW, dropped significantly to only 513MW.

    Total energy generated by TCN as of Sunday was 96,131.84MWh, an average of 4,005.4MW, while the total energy sent out to the DisCos was 94,991.10MWh, an average of 3,957.96MW.

    Why outages persist, by DisCos

    Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), Ikeja Electric (IE), Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC) said the causes of the outages were beyond them.

    EKEDC, which apologised to its customers for “the inconvenience” said low allocation from the national grid was responsible.

    It attributed the low allocation from the TCN to gas shortages to the generating companies (GenCos). 

    “Kindly be informed that the present reduction in power supply across our network is due to gas shortages and other related issues arising from the generating companies.

    “We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience this has caused even as we work with our partners for a speedy resolution.

    “We are constantly communicating with our partners to ensure this is resolved as soon as possible,” the company said in a post on its social media handles.

    IE said in a circular that the outage in some parts of its franchise area in Lagos was due to load restrictions of its various transmission centres.

    It, however, revealed that it was working in collaboration with other key stakeholders to restore normal service to its consumers.

    IE said: “The current service disruption you are encountering is a result of significant load restrictions across many of our transmission load centres, particularly impacting Oworo TS, Maryland TS, Itire TS, Isolo TS, Ogba TS, Alausa TS, Ejigbo TS, Alimosho TS, Ilupeju TS, Ayobo TS.

    “We apologise for any inconvenience caused. We are actively collaborating with relevant stakeholders to restore normal operations.” 

    IBEDC said low gas supply significantly reduced power available at the national grid and consequently its ability to provide power to its customers in Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Kwara and partly in Kogi, Niger and Ekiti states.

    It added that scheduled maintenance activities conducted by TCN in January and March necessitated planned outages in some areas in its network.

    The DisCo added that vandalism and theft of electricity infrastructure remained major issues negatively impacting power supply.

    It also said that payment apathy by customers was a challenge to adequate supply of power. 

    “Our customer segments have different mindsets that electricity is a social service and should not be paid for; some only pay part of their bills, while others don’t pay because they haven’t received their preferred hours of supply,” the company added.

    KEDC Head of Corporate Communication, Abdulazeez Abdullahi, said the company was not unaware of the complaints by communities in its franchise areas.

    “We empathise with the situation, but we must note that the issue is rooted in the drastic drop in power generation nationwide which has adversely affected what is supplied to Kaduna Electric for onward distribution to our customers,” said Abdullahi.

    “It is certainly not our fault. The low level of generation has hindered us from fully satisfying our customers.

    “Therefore, we are fully engaging our customers and all stakeholders at all levels to provide updates as to the reduction in hours of supply to our customers.” 

    Also, EEDC said that any effort it makes to improve energy supply to its customers would amount to nothing if the quantum of daily megawatt hour (MWH) of energy allocated to them is not increased.

    Its spokesman, Emeka Ezeh, said: “Poor power supply currently experienced by our customers across the Southeast network is beyond us. It is down to the drop in power allocation given to us.

    “It’s a very big challenge because our customers are not happy. They’re blaming us. “This allocation is no longer sufficient to address the needs of our customers.”

    The JEDC said power supply to its four franchise states of Benue, Bauchi, Gombe and Plateau depends on what is supplied to it by the TCN.

    The firm’s spokesman, Friday Elijah, said: “Our distribution depends on what is supplied to us.

    “If you go to our website or our social media, we publish our allocation daily to let people know the quantity of energy we get because energy is not storable material that can be kept for future use.

    “If there are no faults, especially from transmission, we distribute them accordingly and that is what we’ve been doing.”

    Kwara appeals to IBEDC

    The Kwara Government appealed to the IBEDC to improve supply.

    Water Resources Commissioner Usman Yunusa-Lade made the appeal at a meeting with the Regional Head and Management of the distribution company in Ilorin.

    Yunusa-Lade said the purpose of the meeting was to inform IBEDC of how its service had affected the normal pumping of water by the state water corporation.

    “Without power supply, we cannot operate at a maximal level even when our facilities are intact.

    “However, we need to understand your challenges and at the same time, we need to improve the service we render to the public,” he said.

    Regional Head of IBEDC Oluwatoyin Akinyosoye, informed the commissioner that the epileptic power supply was a national issue.

    Akinyosoye explained that the megawatt allocated to the state had dropped drastically, which informed the rationalisation of power supply. 

    ‘Improve TCN facilities’

    One of the Chief Executive Officers (CEO) of the DisCos absolved the TCN of blame and urged the government to improve the weak wheeling capacity of the transmission firm through improved investment.

    “It is not the fault of the TCN. The government too needs to invest to improve the service that the TCN delivers,” said the CEO, who added that the DisCos are working with the relevant stakeholders to change the narrative.

    He also explained that most of the DisCos cannot evacuate the load they nominate at a particular time because of fear of “trip off of the system.”

    He assured that since the DisCos are working in consonance with the TCN, there will be some improvement in the next three months.

    We’re addressing the problems, says minister

    Adelabu, after meeting with some All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders at the Oyo state APC secretariat in Ibadan, said the problems were being addressed.

    He added: “I want to reassure Nigerians that the government of President Bola Tinubu is ready and determined to change the face of things in the power sector, to change the game in the power sector, which is why we are addressing the root causes of the power sector problems.

    “We are addressing all the problems associated with all the segments of the power sector value chain, from gas supply to generation to transmission, to distribution and to the customers themselves.

    “There are a lot of things that we are doing that Nigerians will soon start seeing.”

    He also said that N75 billion had been committed to the Presidential Metering Initiative to bridge the metering gap.

    NERC sets deadline

    The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) announced a new regulation requiring all DisCos to procure at least 10 per cent of their contracted energy from embedded generation sources, with half coming from renewable sources.

    The regulator set an April 1, 2025 deadline.

    Under this mandate, each DisCo is required to procure a specified amount of energy from embedded generation sources, with a portion mandated to be sourced from renewable energy.

    For instance, the Abuja Disco is expected to procure at least 61.1MW from embedded generation sources, out of which 31MW must be sourced from renewable energy sources.

    On March 11, the Federal Government ordered the NERC to withdraw licenses of non-performing electricity distribution companies (DisCos).

    Adelabu, who gave the order, said: “It is true that the distribution companies are in the hands of the private sector. We don’t have direct control.

    “But we need to compel them for performance. They must perform. If they do not perform, all our effort in generation and transmission is zero.”

  • TCN restores grid after collapse

    TCN restores grid after collapse

    The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Friday, March 29, said it restored the national grid that collapsed on Thursday.

    The TCN’s Public Affairs, General Manager, Ndidi Mbah made this known in a press statement.

    The statement reads in part: “The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has successfully restored the national grid following a system disturbance that occurred at 4:28 p.m. on Thursday, 28th March 2024, with full recovery achieved by 10:00 p.m. that same day.

    Read Also: TCN: Shiroro-Katampe transmission line vandalised

    “According to a report from the National Control Centre (NCC) in Osogbo, the system disturbance was triggered by a significant reduction in generation capacity, primarily due to gas constraints.

    “This reduction led to a rapid decline in system frequency. This created a sudden imbalance in the grid.

    “The imbalance in grid stability was exacerbated by the sudden tripping of Egbin generation turbine 3, resulting in an additional loss of 167MW load and the subsequent collapse of the grid.

    “The grid has, however, since been recovered and is stable, and is currently transmitting all the generated power to distribution load centres nationwide.

    “TCN emphasises its unwavering commitment to addressing grid challenges and actively working to mitigate disruptions.

    “In instances where challenges extend beyond TCN’s control, the company collaborates with other stakeholders in the power sector value chain to minimize the impact and swiftly restore the grid to normal operation.”

  • Prevent total collapse of power supply to Yenagoa, Reps task TCN

    Prevent total collapse of power supply to Yenagoa, Reps task TCN

    The House of Representatives on Wednesday, March 13, asked the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to immediately intervene and prevent a complete collapse of power distribution and transmission in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital. 

    Adopting a motion by Oboku Abonsizibe Oforji (PDP, Bayelsa), the House asked the TCN to resuscitate the power transmission substation in Yenagoa. 

    He informed the House that on 23rd of September 2023, the 132/33KV Transmission Substation serving Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State Capital and its environs was gutted by fire, throwing Yenagoa in total darkness.

    He said the state has been struggling to use only a feeder to supply five feeders, adding that the operational feeder is getting weak and, if urgent steps are not taken, the feeder will collapse. 

    He said the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company has been carrying out remedial services to avert the collapse of the weak operational feeder. 

    Read Also: TCN: Shiroro-Katampe transmission line vandalised

    Also, the House asked the Federal Ministry of Works and Federal Roads Maintenance Agency to rehabilitate the Akunu/Ayere/Kabba road and rejig security architecture in the Area. 

    The House also the Service Chiefs to deploy patrol Military personnel to the Akunu/Ayere/Kabba Road and for the Inspector General of Police to establish a divisional police station in the Akunnu Akoko North East/North West Federal Constituency of Ondo State. 

    Adopting a motion by Ifeoluwa Ehindero (APC, Ondo) said the Akunu/Ayere/Kabba road is in severe disrepair, with potholes potential for kidnapping and criminal activities, causing frustration among motorists and users. 

    He said that between 2023 and 2024, many Nigerians have been killed by bandits on the road, adding that on February 9, 2024, a bandit ambushed and shot an 18-seater bus from Lagos to Abuja, killing the driver, abducting all passengers, and leaving a 5-year-old girl in shock. 

    He said the insecurity situation in this axis has affected the socio- economic activities in the area and neighbouring towns and communities. 

  • TCN: Shiroro-Katampe transmission line vandalised

    TCN: Shiroro-Katampe transmission line vandalised

    The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) yesterday said one of its critical facilities, the Shiroro-Katampe 330kV transmission line, had been vandalised.

    A statement by its General Manager for Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, said the damage was the fifth within two months.

    The statement reads: “At approximately 9 a.m this morning (Sunday), the Shiroro-Katampe transmission line experienced a trip.

    “Following initial investigations, TCN engineers attempted to restore operation but were unsuccessful. Subsequently, efforts were made to identify the fault location. Hence, linesmen were dispatched to physically patrol the suspected area.”

    TCN explained that during the fault tracing process, vigilance team leaders in the vicinity notified its linesmen of vandalism along the Shiroro-Katampe transmission line.

    Its personnel, the statement said, confirmed the vandalisation of the 330kV Shiroro-Katampe transmission Line One, from Towers 244 to 245, and the conductors stolen.

    The statement said TCN was mobilising for conductor replacement, pending completion of security operations at the site.

    But it auured its customers that the second line remained fully operational, in conjunction with the Gwagwalada 330kV line serving the Kukwaba-Apo axis.

    Read Also: Tension as Senate meets over N3tr alleged padding of 2024 budget on Tuesday

    The statement reads: “Also, the wheeling capacity of TCN towards Abuja and environs would be enhanced by the Lokoja-Gwagwalada 330kV transmission line. TCN is working hard to minimise the adverse effect of these acts of sabotage on bulk power supply to Abuja and environs.

    “This incident adds to a series of vandalism incidents recorded by TCN in February 2024, including the destruction of Tower 70 along the Gwagwalade-Katampe transmission line on February 26, 2024.

    “Other incidents include the vandalism of towers 377 and 378 along the Gombe-Damaturu 330kV transmission line on February 23, 2024, and the attack on towers 145 to 149 and 201 to 218 along the Owerri-Ahoda 132kV transmission line on February 15, 2024.

    “Additionally, on February 1, 2024, Tower number 388 along the Jos-Bauchi 132kV single circuit transmission line collapsed due to vandalism.

    “These acts of sabotage are unacceptable, and TCN urges relevant security agencies and host communities to collaborate in apprehending the perpetrators. Protection of the nation’s transmission infrastructure is paramount, and collective efforts are required to curb these incidents.”

  • TCN: Shiroro-Katampe transmission line vandalized

    TCN: Shiroro-Katampe transmission line vandalized

    The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Sunday, March 10, reported that one of its critical infrastructures, the Shiroro-Katampe 330kV transmission line, has been vandalized.

    A statement issued by the TCN’s Public Affairs, General Manager, Ndidi Mbah said the damage was the fifth of such incident between February and March of this year.

    According to the statement: “At approximately 9am this morning (Sunday), the Shiroro-Katampe transmission line experienced a trip.

    “Following initial investigations, TCN engineers attempted to restore operation but were unsuccessful. Subsequently, efforts were made to identify the fault location. Hence, linesmen were dispatched to physically patrol the suspected area.”

    The statement further noted that during  the fault tracing process, vigilante team leaders in the vicinity notified TCN linesmen of vandalism along the Shiroro-Katampe transmission line.

    TCN personnel,according the the spokesman, confirmed the vandalisation of the 330kV Shiroro-Katampe transmission line 1, from Towers 244 to 245, and the conductors stolen.

    The statement further noted that TCN  is currently mobilizing for conductor replacement, pending completion of security operations at the site.

    Nevertheless, the second line remains fully operational, in conjunction with the Gwagwalada 330kV line serving the Kukwaba-Apo axis.

    Read Also: Tension as Senate meets over N3tr alleged padding of 2024 budget on Tuesday

    The statement reads in part: “Also, the wheeling capacity of TCN towards Abuja and environs would be enhanced by the Lokoja – Gwagwalada 330kV transmission line. TCN is working hard to minimise the adverse effect of these acts of sabotage on bulk power supply to Abuja and environs.

    “This incident adds to a series of vandalism incidents recorded by TCN in February 2024, including the destruction of Tower 70 along the Gwagwalade-Katampe transmission line on February 26, 2024.

    Other incidents include the vandalism of towers 377 and 378 along the Gombe-Damaturu 330kV transmission line on February 23, 2024, and the attack on towers 145 to 149 and 201 to 218 along the Owerri-Ahoda 132kV transmission line on February 15, 2024.

    Additionally, on February 1, 2024, Tower number 388 along the Jos-Bauchi 132kV single circuit transmission line collapsed due to vandalism.

    “These acts of sabotage are unacceptable, and TCN urges relevant security agencies and host communities to collaborate in apprehending the perpetrators. Protection of the nation’s transmission infrastructure is paramount, and collective efforts are required to curb these incidents.

    “TCN calls upon all Nigerians to assist in reporting such acts of vandalism. Electricity infrastructure is a national asset, and safeguarding it is a collective responsibility.”

  • BREAKING: Power Minister summons AEDC, IBEDC, TCN over erratic electricity supply

    BREAKING: Power Minister summons AEDC, IBEDC, TCN over erratic electricity supply

    The Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu has summoned the Chief Executives of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), and the Managing Director of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), to a ‘crucial meeting’ over erratic electricity supply facing the country.

    Weeks ago, Adelabu, had identified the root cause of the ongoing electricity blackout as the shortage of gas supply to electricity generation companies and outstanding debts owed to producers.

    On his verified X page on Wednesday, March 6, Adelabu said: “As the Minister of Power, I am deeply concerned about the deteriorating electricity supply across the country.

    “In response to this pressing issue, I have summoned the Chief Executives of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), as well as the Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), to a crucial meeting.

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    “The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the worsening power supply in their respective regions and to collectively find lasting solutions.

    “It is disheartening to witness the decline in power supply despite the concerted efforts to improve the situation. The Ministry has been exerting pressure on the Generating Companies (GENCOs) to enhance their performance, resulting in a recent increase in generation to over 4000MW.

    “Despite this progress, certain distribution companies are failing to adequately distribute the power supplied by TCN, while vandalism of power infrastructure exacerbates the problem in regions such as Abuja, Benin, Port Harcourt, and Ibadan.”

    Adelabu offered reassurance to Nigerians, stating that measures are being taken to address these challenges, leading to a gradual increase in the availability of electricity across the nation.

    He added: “Moving forward, I am committed to holding all distribution companies accountable for their performance. Willful non-performance will not be tolerated, and severe consequences, including license revocation, may be imposed. Additionally, I have instructed TCN to prioritize repair works on damaged transmission towers and power lines to improve supply in affected regions.

    “During recent supervisory visits to power generating plants, I have witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by the sector.

    “Plans are underway to settle outstanding debts owed to power generation and gas supply companies, which will alleviate the financial strain and contribute to improved generation levels nationwide. I urge electricity consumers to remain patient as we work tirelessly to address these issues and provide better service to all Nigerians.”