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TCN explain why blackout will persist in the north

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) declared that because security concerns impede necessary repairs on major transmission lines, the continuous power outages in Northern Nigeria will persist. The TCN cautions that a complete resolution is unlikely in the immediate future, despite efforts to restore power via alternate routes.

 

The Shiroro-Mando transmission line, which provides electricity to multiple northern states, was vandalised, sparking the start of the blackout, which has lasted for more than four days. TCN redirected power via the Ugwuaji-Apir 330-kilovolt (kV) double-circuit line in an effort to lessen the impact. A tripping event on this other line, however, has made matters more difficult.

 

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) was notified by Engr. Nafisatu Asabe Ali, Executive Director of the Independent System Operator at TCN, that the Ugwuaji-Apir line has the capacity to transmit up to 750 megawatts (MW), but is only able to send 350 MW to northern areas like Kano and Kaduna because of problems with voltage stability. In the meanwhile, even though repair supplies are available, the Shiroro-Mando line is still unavailable due to security concerns.

 

NERC Chairman Garba Usman has strongly criticised the incident and demanded improved safeguards against transformer explosions that cause grid disruptions. Nigeria has seen 162 system breakdowns since 2013, according to APGC Managing Director Joy Ogaji, who also urged for more power infrastructure resilience.

 

The House of Representatives responded by requesting that the office of the National Security Adviser collaborate with the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and other organisations to develop a security strategy to safeguard critical transmission lines. Since power outages are negatively affecting businesses, daily life, and the economy, Rep. Sani Umar Bala, who introduced the motion, argued for tech-driven surveillance, like as drones and CCTV, to monitor and protect these critical sites from vandalism.

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