TCN Grid Maintenance to Trigger Temporary Power Outage Across Five Nigerian States
Residents, businesses and public institutions across Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Bauchi and Yobe states have been advised to prepare for a temporary interruption in electricity supply on Sunday as the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) undertakes planned maintenance on a critical section of the national transmission network.
The scheduled outage, according to the power transmission company, forms part of an ongoing effort to upgrade transmission infrastructure, improve grid reliability and increase electricity delivery capacity across northern Nigeria.
The maintenance exercise, which will also affect Gazaoua in the Niger Republic, is expected to temporarily prevent electricity distribution companies from receiving bulk power for onward supply to customers in the affected areas.
The development was announced in a statement issued on Friday by TCN’s spokesperson, Ndidi Mbah, who explained that the maintenance work is a necessary component of the company’s wider transmission expansion programme aimed at strengthening the national grid.
According to the company, engineers will carry out the maintenance at the Kumbotso 330-kilovolt (330kV) Transmission Substation, one of the major transmission facilities responsible for wheeling electricity across parts of northern Nigeria.
Upgrade Targets Stronger National Grid
TCN explained that the scheduled maintenance will allow its contractor to continue critical upgrade works currently underway at the Kumbotso transmission facility.
Specifically, the project involves upgrading the 330kV Bus II jumpers and replacing existing 350mm² conductors with higher-capacity 800mm² conductors.
The replacement of the conductors is expected to significantly improve the amount of electricity that can be transmitted through the network while enhancing the reliability and stability of power supply once the project is completed.
According to the company, the ongoing upgrade represents an important investment in strengthening transmission infrastructure to accommodate increasing electricity demand and improve overall grid performance.
The project forms part of broader efforts by TCN to modernise ageing transmission assets and expand the capacity of Nigeria’s national electricity network.
Electricity Distribution Companies to Be Affected
As a direct consequence of the maintenance exercise, several electricity distribution companies will temporarily lose access to bulk electricity supplied through the transmission network.
TCN stated that the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO), along with parts of the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC) and Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC), will be unable to receive electricity from the transmission network during the maintenance window.
Without power supply from the transmission company, the affected distribution companies will be unable to deliver electricity to customers across their respective franchise areas until maintenance activities have been completed.
The planned interruption will therefore affect homes, businesses, industries, hospitals, educational institutions and other electricity consumers served by the affected distribution companies.
Areas Expected to Experience Temporary Power Cuts
According to TCN, customers in Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states will experience temporary electricity interruptions during the maintenance period.
The outage will also extend to Azare in Bauchi State and Nguru in Yobe State.
Beyond Nigeria’s borders, electricity customers in Gazaoua, located in the neighbouring Niger Republic, will also be affected because the transmission network supplies power to the area.
The company stated:
“Consequently, Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO), as well as parts of Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC) and Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC), will be unable to off-take power for distribution to customers in Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa states, as well as Azare in Bauchi State, Nguru in Yobe State, and Gazaoua in the Niger Republic.”
The announcement gives customers advance notice of the planned disruption, allowing households and businesses to make necessary arrangements ahead of the maintenance exercise.
Infrastructure Investment Aimed at Improving Reliability
While acknowledging the inconvenience the temporary outage may cause, TCN emphasised that the maintenance is essential for improving long-term electricity reliability across the region.
The company noted that replacing the existing conductors with larger-capacity 800mm² conductors will significantly enhance the transmission network’s ability to transport more electricity while reducing operational constraints.
Improved transmission capacity is expected to contribute to a more stable electricity supply once the upgrade is completed.
Infrastructure upgrades of this nature are considered critical because transmission facilities serve as the link between electricity generation companies and distribution companies.
Any improvement in transmission capacity allows more electricity generated by power plants to reach distribution companies, ultimately benefiting consumers through improved grid performance.
Ongoing Modernisation of Nigeria’s Transmission Network
The latest maintenance exercise reflects TCN’s continued investment in expanding and modernising Nigeria’s transmission infrastructure.
Over the years, the company has embarked on multiple transmission expansion projects aimed at reducing congestion across the national grid, increasing wheeling capacity and supporting growing electricity demand.
Modernisation projects have included the construction of new substations, installation of higher-capacity transformers, replacement of ageing transmission equipment and reinforcement of high-voltage transmission lines.
The Kumbotso upgrade represents another step in that broader programme.
Energy experts have consistently identified transmission infrastructure as one of the key components required to improve electricity delivery across Nigeria.
While generation capacity has increased over the years, transmission bottlenecks have often limited the amount of electricity that can be delivered efficiently to distribution companies.
Upgrading critical transmission assets therefore remains an important part of efforts to improve overall power sector performance.
Customers Advised to Prepare
TCN appealed to customers in the affected areas to bear with the temporary inconvenience, assuring them that the maintenance is necessary to complete critical engineering work that will ultimately improve electricity supply.
The company reiterated that the interruption is temporary and forms part of efforts to reinforce the transmission network for greater operational efficiency and long-term service reliability.
Once maintenance activities are completed, electricity supply is expected to be restored immediately through the affected distribution companies.
The company also reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s electricity transmission system through strategic infrastructure investments designed to support improved grid stability, enhanced transmission capacity and more reliable power delivery to millions of consumers.
As electricity demand continues to rise across the country, projects such as the Kumbotso transmission upgrade are expected to play an increasingly important role in improving the resilience of the national grid and ensuring that power generated across Nigeria can be transmitted more efficiently to homes, businesses and industries.
For residents and businesses in Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Bauchi and Yobe states, Sunday’s temporary outage represents a short-term inconvenience aimed at delivering longer-term improvements to electricity supply reliability across the region.
Author
