Power Outages: TCN Accuses IKEDC of Shifting Blame, Says Low Generation Responsible
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has accused Ikeja Electric (IKEDC) of misleading electricity consumers by blaming recent Band A power outages on grid instability rather than reduced electricity generation.
TCN said the explanation contained in IKEDC’s public notice of November 5, 2026, was inconsistent with the operational realities of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
In a statement on Friday, the transmission company explained that the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) had identified inadequate gas supply to thermal power stations and reduced hydroelectric output caused by lower reservoir inflows as the major reasons for the current decline in electricity generation.
It said the reduction in generation had affected the quantity of electricity available for distribution companies, leading to reduced supply hours and increased load shedding nationwide.
TCN argued that under Section 67 of the Electricity Act 2023, the responsibility for determining the root causes of disturbances and interruptions on the national grid rests with NISO, not individual distribution companies.
It therefore faulted IKEDC for independently attributing the outages to TCN without any such determination from NISO.
The company insisted that the electricity supply challenges facing IKEDC customers were consequences of generation shortages and subsequent energy allocations, not a breakdown of the transmission network.
To support its position, TCN released figures from operational records showing that 68 per cent of interruptions recorded across feeders supplying IKEDC on November 1 and 2 were caused by frequency-control load shedding resulting from inadequate generation.
It attributed another 26 per cent to IKEDC’s non-compliance with load allocations by NISO’s National Control Centre, as well as faults and maintenance activities on the distribution company’s network.
Only six per cent of the interruptions, TCN said, were associated with its planned maintenance, switching operations or line limitations.
The company emphasised that none of the recorded incidents involved equipment failure or a trip on its transmission network.
On the 33kV feeders specifically mentioned in IKEDC’s notice, TCN said 29 of the 46 recorded interruptions resulted from low-generation-related load shedding.
It explained that 14 incidents were traced to IKEDC, including nine cases of failure to comply with allocated load and five faults or trips on its network.
The remaining three interruptions were linked to scheduled maintenance by TCN on the Ogba-Alimosho transmission line on November 1.
TCN further referenced the Rack Centre feeder, which experienced an interruption on November 2 following a cable fault on IKEDC’s network. The fault, it said, was repaired by IKEDC’s technical team.
According to the transmission company, IKEDC’s own notice also identified several affected feeders, including MTN, Iju Water Works and Rack Centre, as having faults on its network.
TCN described IKEDC’s attribution of the outages as an attempt to misrepresent the actual situation in the power sector, warning that such claims could misinform consumers and weaken public confidence in the electricity supply industry.
It called on all electricity distribution companies to obtain and communicate verified information from NISO instead of making unsupported allegations against other stakeholders.
The company also encouraged electricity consumers to follow NISO’s official platforms for reliable information about developments on the national grid.
TCN, however, expressed sympathy with customers experiencing reduced electricity supply, assuring that it would continue working with NISO, generation companies and distribution companies to ensure the safe and efficient transmission of all available electricity.
