TCN disputes Ikeja Electric’s reason for power outages on Band A feeders

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has disputed Ikeja Electric’s explanation for recent power outages, blaming reduced electricity generation rather than faults or instability on the national grid.

In a statement posted on X on Friday, TCN described as inaccurate and misleading Ikeja Electric’s attribution of supply interruptions on several Band A feeders to grid instability and the transmission company.

TCN was responding to three public notices shared by Ikeja Electric on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, covering outages recorded on some Band A feeders on 2 and 3 November, 3 and 4 November, and 4 and 5 November, respectively.

In each notice, the distribution company apologised to affected customers for failing to meet the minimum daily supply requirement of 20 hours on the listed feeders.

The affected areas included Ogba, Ikeja GRA, Maryland, Opebi, Ogudu, Alausa, Ilupeju and Gbagada. In several instances, the distribution company blamed grid instability for the outages.

However, the notices were limited to customers on Band A feeders. Ikeja Electric did not issue similar explanations or apologies to customers on Bands B and C and other categories who may also have experienced prolonged outages.

There was also no compensatory offers to affected subscribers.

TCN said Section 67 of the Electricity Act 2023 assigns the responsibility for determining the root causes of disturbances, generation shortfalls and interruptions on the national grid exclusively to the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO).

It argued that distribution companies, including Ikeja Electric, could not independently make such determinations and noted that NISO had not attributed the outages in Ikeja Electric’s notice to TCN.

According to TCN, NISO had already explained the reasons for the decline in electricity generation in a public clarification issued on 5 November.

NISO attributed the shortfall to gas supply constraints affecting thermal power plants and reduced output from hydroelectric stations due to lower reservoir inflows.

The reduced generation, it said, lowered the amount of electricity available to distribution companies, resulting in reduced allocations, fewer hours of supply, and increased load shedding across their networks.

NISO also noted that the impact varied among distribution companies, depending on the electricity available and the quantity allocated to each of them.

TCN maintained that the shortfall in supply to Ikeja Electric’s customers was a consequence of reduced generation and the resulting allocations, not a failure of its transmission network.

“TCN can only transmit the energy made available to it and cannot transmit energy that is not generated,” the company said.

To support its position, TCN presented records of feeder interruptions on 1 and 2 November. It said 68 per cent of the load shedding during the period resulted from low generation and frequency-control measures on the national grid.

Another 26 per cent, it said, was linked to Ikeja Electric’s alleged failure to comply with load allocations from NISO’s National Control Centre, as well as faults and maintenance work on the distribution company’s network.

TCN attributed the remaining six per cent to its planned maintenance, switching operations and transmission line limitations.

It said none of the recorded interruptions resulted from equipment failure or a trip on its network.

The transmission company also examined 46 interruptions on the 33kV feeders listed in Ikeja Electric’s notice. It attributed 29 to frequency-control load shedding arising from low generation and 14 to issues involving Ikeja Electric.

Of the 14 interruptions linked to the distribution company, TCN said nine resulted from alleged non-compliance with load allocations, while five were caused by faults or trips on its network.

It attributed the remaining three interruptions to scheduled maintenance on the Ogba-Alimosho line on 1 November.

TCN also cited the Rack Centre feeder as an example, saying it was interrupted on 2 November following a cable fault on Ikeja Electric’s network, which the distribution company’s crew subsequently repaired.

It noted that Ikeja Electric had itself identified the company as responsible for some 33kV feeder faults in its notices, including those affecting the MTN, Iju Water Works and Rack Centre feeders.

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TCN said blaming the transmission company for electricity shortages caused by inadequate generation could mislead consumers, undermine public confidence and distract from the challenges facing the power sector.

It urged Ikeja Electric and other distribution companies to stop making what it described as unfounded claims about the causes of supply shortfalls and to base their public explanations on verified information from NISO.

The company also advised electricity consumers to consult NISO’s official platforms for accurate information on developments in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.

TCN sympathised with customers affected by the reduced hours of supply, saying it remained committed to transmitting available electricity safely, reliably and efficiently within prevailing operational constraints.

It added that it would continue working with NISO, generation companies and distribution companies to improve electricity supply.