Power Station Collapse Leads to Blackout in Abuja and Kogi

Parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and various community in Kogi State are currently grappling with power outages following technical issues stemming from a power station collapse.

The affected areas fall within the operational ambit of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), which issued a statement on Tuesday attributing the blackout to a technical fault on the 33kv feeder k6 from AT9 Karu Transmission Station managed by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

In a bid to address the situation, maintenance crews from TCN are actively engaged in rectifying the fault to swiftly restore electricity supply to the affected regions. However, the AEDC has extended apologies to its customers for any inconvenience caused by the disruption in power service.

Earlier announcements by TCN had indicated planned maintenance activities on its TR3 45MVA and TR2 60MVA power transformers at the 132/33kV Okene Transmission Substation. This maintenance, scheduled from Tuesday to Wednesday, from 10 am to 03 pm each day, has disrupted power distribution to areas such as Okene, Kabba, Ososo, and Ikare.

TCN’s spokesperson, Ndidi Mbah, clarified that normal power supply would resume promptly after the completion of the maintenance work.

Meanwhile, TCN has inaugurated a significant infrastructure upgrade at its Port Harcourt Main Transmission Substation in collaboration with the World Bank. This initiative includes the installation of a 100MVA 132/33kV power transformer, boosting the substation’s bulk transmission capacity by 80MW. The project also encompasses comprehensive rehabilitation and expansion efforts at the transmission substation, along with the addition of three feeders and associated infrastructure. The increased capacity is expected to benefit industries in the Trans Amadi industrial zone and surrounding communities beyond Port Harcourt city.

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has recently convened meetings with the management of AEDC and TCN to address concerns regarding the deteriorating power supply situation across the country, attributing the challenges to various factors including gas shortages, vandalism, and energy theft.