Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has dismissed claims by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) that the recent drop in electricity supply to the Federal Capital Territory was caused by the tripping of its 330kV transmission lines from the Shiroro Transmission Substation.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, TCN described AEDC’s explanation to customers as “inaccurate and misleading,” insisting that the reduction in power allocation to the Abuja Disco was due to insufficient electricity generation on the national grid rather than any fault on its transmission infrastructure.
The clarification followed a notice released by AEDC on August 26, in which the distribution company informed customers of prevailing supply constraints and attributed the sharp reduction in its allocation—from about 641 megawatts (MW) to 314MW—to the alleged tripping of transmission lines supplying Abuja from Shiroro.
Reacting to the claim, TCN rejected the assertion and maintained that its transmission network serving the Abuja axis remained fully operational.
According to the company, “This claim is inaccurate and misleading, as the reduction was a result of low generation on the grid and not in any way a TCN line tripping.”
The company further stressed that there had been no disruption on any of the 330kV transmission lines within the Abuja region.
“Contrary to the information contained in AEDC’s publication, all 330kV transmission lines within Abuja Region are currently in circuit, and no such tripping of the 330kV transmission lines supplying Abuja axis, as alleged by AEDC, has occurred,” the statement said.
TCN explained that while AEDC experienced a significant reduction in its power allocation, the situation was a direct consequence of reduced generation available on the national grid and not the result of any transmission failure.
The company therefore urged the distribution company and other stakeholders to ensure that information released to the public accurately reflects the cause of power supply challenges.
“TCN therefore wishes to clarify that the reported reduction in AEDC’s allocation and the resultant load shedding across its feeders cannot be attributed to the alleged tripping of TCN’s 330kV transmission lines within the Abuja Region. We reiterate the importance of accurate and clear information dissemination,” it stated.
The transmission company reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the efficient evacuation and delivery of available electricity across the country while maintaining the stability and reliability of the national transmission grid.
“The Transmission Company of Nigeria remains committed to efficiently transmitting available bulk electricity across the nation and maintaining the stability, reliability, and integrity of the nation’s transmission grid,” the statement added.
The exchange between both power sector operators comes as consumers across Abuja continue to experience load shedding and reduced electricity supply amid ongoing challenges in Nigeria’s power sector.
