TCN Faults Ikeja Electric Over Alleged Misrepresentation of Power Outages, Blames Generation Shortfall
Oru Leonard
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has rejected claims by Ikeja Electric Distribution Company (IKEDC) that recent electricity outages affecting some Band A feeders in its franchise area were caused by instability on the national grid.
TCN described the attribution as inaccurate and misleading, urging electricity consumers to rely on clarifications issued by the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) regarding the prevailing challenges in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.
In a press statement issued on Friday, November 6, 2026, TCN said its attention had been drawn to a public notice released by IKEDC on November 5, in which outages recorded on November 3 and 4 were blamed on grid instability and attributed to the transmission company.
TCN maintained that Ikeja Electric lacked the statutory authority to independently determine the root causes of disturbances and interruptions on the national grid, citing Section 67 of the Electricity Act 2023.
According to the company, such determinations fall within the responsibilities of NISO, which had not issued any statement linking the reported outages to a failure of TCN’s transmission network.
The transmission company explained that NISO had earlier clarified that the decline in electricity generation was primarily caused by constraints in gas supply to thermal power plants and reduced output from hydroelectric stations due to lower reservoir inflows.
It added that the reduction in available generation had affected the volume of electricity allocated to distribution companies, resulting in shorter supply hours and increased load shedding across distribution networks.
TCN stressed that its responsibility was to transmit available electricity and that it could not deliver energy that had not been generated.
Providing further details, the company disclosed that records of interruptions across feeders supplying IKEDC on November 1 and 2 showed that 68 per cent were frequency-control load-shedding incidents resulting from low power generation.
It attributed another 26 per cent to IKEDC’s failure to comply with load allocations issued by NISO’s National Control Centre, as well as faults and maintenance activities on the distribution company’s network.
The remaining six per cent, according to TCN, resulted from its planned maintenance, switching operations or line limitations.
TCN emphasised that none of the recorded interruptions during the period was caused by equipment failure or a trip on its transmission network.
On the specific 33kV feeders mentioned in IKEDC’s public notice, TCN said 46 interruptions were recorded, with 29 resulting from frequency-control load shedding occasioned by inadequate generation.
It further stated that 14 interruptions were attributable to IKEDC, comprising nine cases of non-compliance with allocated load and five incidents involving faults or trips on its distribution network.
The remaining three interruptions, TCN explained, were connected to scheduled maintenance on the Ogba–Alimosho transmission line on November 1.
Citing another example, the company said the Rack Centre feeder experienced an interruption on November 2 following a cable fault on IKEDC’s network, which was subsequently repaired by the distribution company’s technical team.
TCN also noted that IKEDC’s own public notice identified some affected feeders, including MTN, Iju Water Works and Rack Centre, as having experienced 33kV faults associated with its network.
The transmission company warned that attributing electricity supply challenges arising from inadequate generation to transmission failures could mislead consumers, damage public confidence and divert attention from the actual problems confronting the sector.
It therefore called on IKEDC and other electricity distribution companies to desist from making unverified claims about the causes of power outages, urging them to base public communications on credible information provided by NISO.
TCN also encouraged electricity consumers to consult NISO’s official communication platforms for accurate updates on developments within the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.
While expressing sympathy with customers experiencing reduced electricity supply hours, TCN reaffirmed its commitment to transmitting all available energy safely, reliably and efficiently.
It further pledged continued collaboration with NISO, generation companies and distribution companies towards addressing operational challenges and improving electricity supply across the country.
