TCN faults AEDC claim, says low generation caused Abuja power supply drop

By Oke Peter 

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has dismissed claims by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) that a reduction in its power allocation was caused by the alleged tripping of transmission lines supplying Abuja from Shiroro Transmission Substation.

On Wednesday, AEDC said in a statement to its customers that TCN is currently experiencing transmission constraints affecting electricity supply to Abuja and parts of its franchise area.

“Since Tuesday, 25 August, the tripping of transmission lines supplying Abuja from the Shiroro Transmission Station has significantly reduced the power available to AEDC. Our allocation has dropped from approximately 641MW to 314MW, substantially impacting our ability to supply electricity to customers,” AEDC said.

As a result, the distribution company said it is currently implementing load shedding across several feeders, including Band A feeders, due to reduced power available from the transmission network.

It added that the National Control Centre (NCC) has also reported low generation levels, further compounding the supply challenge.

In its reaction, TCN said the claim is inaccurate and misleading, noting that the reduction was as a result of low generation on the grid and not in any way a TCN line tripping.

“Contrary to the information contained in AEDC’s publication, all 330kV transmission lines within the Abuja Region are currently in circuit, and no such tripping of the 330kV transmission lines supplying the Abuja axis, as alleged by AEDC, has occurred,” TCN said.

TCN said 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. 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,” it said.

In recent weeks, Abuja and its environs have experienced intermittent load shedding, a situation distribution companies have often linked to grid instability, gas supply issues, and reduced generation.

The Shiroro–Abuja 330kV lines are critical to power delivery to the capital, evacuating electricity from the Shiroro Hydroelectric Power Station in Niger State to substations that serve AEDC’s franchise area.