The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has pledged to speedily restore bulk power supply to Northen Nigeria despite prevailing security challenges in the region.
TCN’s General Manager, Mrs Ndidi Mbah made the pledge in a statement on Sunday, October 27, 2024.
Mrs Mbah dismissed the media reports suggesting an indefinite power outage in parts of Northern Nigeria, erroneously attributed to the Executive Director (Independent System Operator), Engr. Nafisatu Ali, while speaking at the recently held NERC public hearing.
Noting that the company was working diligently to restore bulk power supply as quickly as possible despite prevailing security challenges.
She clarified that “Engr. Nafisatu Ali, in her address at the hearing, said that the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line, which supplies power to Northern Nigeria, was vandalized by insurgents and in response, TCN has partnered with the National Security Adviser’s office to secure the area, enabling her engineers to work safely on the restoration.
“Engr. Ali emphasized that deploying engineers without security support is not feasible, given the risks in the region.
“She therefore dispelled any suggestion that restoration would be indefinite, stressing that TCN’s focus remains on ensuring an even supply of electricity nationwide and that security arrangements were underway.”
The GM said, the current outage affecting Northern states for several days now is a result of vandalism of the Shiroro-Mando transmission line—a critical infrastructure that supplies electricity to the region.
While acknowledging that the prevailing insecurity in the area has delayed the immediate repair necessary to restore supply, Mrs Mbah disclosed that as a temporary measure, TCN had rerouted bulk power supply through the Ugwuaji-Apir 330kV line, which recently snapped.
She noted that the company has been working closely with the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to access the vandalism site to enable the engineers effect necessary repairs, adding that this was vital to ensure the safety of lives during the repairs.
She affirmed the company’s unwavering commitment to overcoming the challenges because of the understanding of place of electricity in the socio- economic lives of the people and the extreme inconveniences the situation is causing the government and all electricity customers in all the affected areas.
“We pledge not to relent in doing everything possible to rectify the problems and restore power supply to the affected areas”, she added.
