The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has provided an explanation for the extended delay in restoring power to several major northern cities following a recent outage.
In a statement on Sunday, TCN noted that security concerns in the region have slowed down the necessary repairs needed to bring power back to affected areas.
TCN spokesperson Ndidi Mbah explained that the company is collaborating with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to secure the area, allowing engineers to begin repair work.
Mbah highlighted that the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line, which was vandalized, led to reduced power supply to Kaduna, Kano, and other northern cities, but TCN is actively working to restore the infrastructure.
“TCN is committed to restoring bulk power supply as quickly as possible despite the ongoing security challenges,” the statement read. “The Shiroro-Kaduna line, essential for Northern Nigeria’s power, was damaged by insurgents, and TCN has partnered with the National Security Adviser’s office to ensure the area is secure so engineers can safely conduct repairs.”
The statement further noted that TCN Executive Director (Independent System Operator) Engr. Nafisatu Ali stressed that deploying engineers without security is unsafe, given the risks involved.
To mitigate the outage, TCN temporarily rerouted power via the Ugwuaji-Apir 330kV line, though it recently snapped. TCN is working closely with the NSA to gain secure access to the vandalized line for necessary repairs, prioritizing safety during the restoration process, the statement concluded.
