The Transmission Company of Nigeria has rejected a claim by Kaduna Electric that a fault on a 330kV transmission line contributed to reduced electricity supply in Jos and surrounding areas.
TCN said on Thursday that all 330kV transmission lines connected to Jos were operational and transmitting bulk electricity, contradicting Kaduna Electric’s explanation for the reduction in supply across its franchise area.
Kaduna Electric had said on Wednesday that customers within its coverage area were experiencing reduced electricity supply because of a lower allocation of power. The distribution company attributed the situation partly to an outage involving one generating unit at the Shiroro Generating Station and what it described as a fault on the Jos transmission line.
According to Kaduna Electric, the transmission issue had affected the flow of electricity from Shiroro to Jos and neighbouring areas, contributing to the amount of power available for distribution to its customers.
The company said its allocation from the National Control Centre on August 25 stood at 104 megawatts, comprising 54MW from the Mando 330kV Transmission Station and 50MW from the Birnin-Kebbi axis. It said it was working with TCN to distribute the available electricity while monitoring efforts to improve supply.
TCN, however, said the account did not accurately reflect the condition of the transmission network serving Jos.
The transmission company explained that the only recent incident involving the Jos-Lafia 330kV Line 2 occurred at about 3:30am on August 23, when its circuit breaker was opened as part of a routine operation to control voltage and maintain stability on the network.
TCN said the line was subsequently restored at 11:59pm on August 24 and had remained in service afterwards. It therefore maintained that there had been no outage or disruption of bulk electricity transmission on any 330kV line supplying Jos that could be attributed to the transmission company since the restoration.
The disagreement highlights the different responsibilities of Nigeria’s electricity transmission and distribution companies. TCN operates the national transmission network and transports bulk electricity from generating plants to distribution companies, while DisCos are responsible for distributing the electricity they receive to homes, businesses and other customers within their respective franchise areas.
This distinction is important when explaining power shortages because a reduction in electricity reaching consumers can occur at different points in the electricity supply chain. Generation levels, transmission conditions, available allocations and distribution infrastructure can all affect the amount of power ultimately delivered to customers.
TCN's latest statement therefore does not necessarily mean that customers in Jos and other parts of Kaduna Electric's franchise area are not experiencing reduced supply. Rather, the company is disputing the distribution company's explanation that a fault on the 330kV transmission line was responsible for the reduction.
TCN also urged Kaduna Electric and other stakeholders to verify transmission-related information with the company before making public statements. It warned that inaccurate information could create unnecessary concern among electricity consumers.
For customers, the disagreement may be less important than the practical question of when electricity supply will improve. Reduced supply remains a significant concern for households and businesses that depend on the national grid, particularly in areas where alternative sources of electricity are expensive.
The latest exchange also demonstrates the importance of clear communication between different parts of Nigeria's electricity value chain. When distribution companies attribute supply problems to transmission infrastructure, consumers can be left with an unclear understanding of where the actual constraint occurred.
TCN said it would continue working with distribution companies to support stable and reliable bulk electricity transmission across the country.
For Kaduna Electric customers in Jos and surrounding communities, the immediate situation will depend on the amount of electricity available for allocation, the performance of generating facilities and the capacity of the distribution network to deliver available power to consumers.
The conflicting statements from the two companies are likely to keep attention focused on the reliability of electricity supply in the affected areas and on the need for better coordination across the power sector.
As both companies continue their operations, consumers will be looking for clearer explanations and, more importantly, a sustained improvement in electricity supply.
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