The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has begun restoring electricity to several Northern states following the successful repair of the 330kV Ugwuaji-Apir transmission line 1. This line, initially designated as a backup power supply after the Shiroro-Mando line was vandalized, also suffered damage due to vandalism, leading to a 10-day blackout for affected areas.
Ndidi Mbah, TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, announced the restoration of power at 4:56 PM today, marking the completion of necessary repairs. With the restoration, the Apir-Lafia 330kV transmission line 2 is now operational, facilitating bulk power transmission to Lafia, Makurdi, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi, and Gombe states.
Mbah noted that TCN's engineering team is poised to commence repairs on the second 330kV transmission line, with all required materials readily available. The restoration efforts have sparked celebrations among residents in the affected areas, although many in Kaduna, Kano, and Jigawa remain without electricity.
In response to the situation, Sani Bala, the Head of Corporate Communications at the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO), reported that the Mando transmission station in Kaduna received power supply via the 330kV Ugwuaji-Makurdi-Jos line at 5:29 AM on Wednesday. He added that power was restored to the Kumbotso transmission station, initially at 10 MW and gradually increasing to 40 MW as loads were picked up on the 11kV and 33kV lines.
Residents in Yobe State’s capital, Damaturu, celebrated the return of electricity, while in Jalingo, Taraba State, sporadic power flashes were reported. Local resident Yau Ibrahim noted that electricity was available briefly in some areas but quickly went out again, leaving Jalingo and surrounding regions in continued darkness. Many residents expressed frustration over the prolonged outages affecting the northern regions.
