The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has rejected Ikeja Electric’s attribution of recent electricity outages on some Band A feeders to grid instability, insisting that reduced power generation caused by gas supply constraints and lower hydroelectric output is responsible for the decline in electricity supply.
TCN said the explanation issued by Ikeja Electric (IKEDC) on November 5, 2026, wrongly blamed the transmission network for outages recorded on November 3 and 4.
In a statement signed by its management on November 6, TCN urged electricity distribution companies to rely on verified information from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) when explaining supply interruptions to customers.
The company said NISO had already clarified that gas supply constraints to thermal power stations and reduced output from hydroelectric plants due to lower reservoir inflows had cut available electricity generation.
According to TCN, the reduced generation affected the amount of electricity allocated to distribution companies, resulting in shorter supply hours and increased load shedding across distribution networks.
“TCN can only transmit the energy made available to it and cannot transmit energy that is not generated,” the company said.
TCN challenges IKEDC’s explanation of outages
TCN argued that electricity distribution companies do not have the authority to determine the root causes of disturbances and interruptions on the national grid.
It cited Section 67 of the Electricity Act 2023, saying the responsibility for determining the causes of such disturbances falls within the functions of NISO.
The company added that NISO had not attributed the outages listed in IKEDC’s notice to a failure of TCN’s transmission network.
TCN also presented figures from its records covering feeders supplying IKEDC, saying 68 per cent of interruptions recorded on November 1 and 2 were frequency-control load shedding caused by low generation.
It attributed another 26 per cent to IKEDC’s alleged failure to comply with load allocations issued by NISO’s National Control Centre, as well as faults and maintenance work on the distribution company’s network.
The remaining six per cent, according to TCN, resulted from its planned maintenance, switching operations or line limitations.
The company said none of the recorded interruptions was caused by a TCN equipment fault or trip.
29 of 46 feeder interruptions linked to low generation
TCN also disputed IKEDC’s explanation of outages affecting 33kV feeders identified in the electricity distribution company’s public notice.
Of the 46 interruptions recorded on those feeders, TCN said 29 resulted from frequency-control load shedding linked to low generation.
It attributed 14 interruptions to IKEDC, including nine cases of alleged non-compliance with load allocation and five involving faults or trips on its own distribution network.
The remaining three interruptions, it said, were linked to scheduled TCN maintenance on the Ogba–Alimosho line on November 1.
As an example, TCN cited an interruption involving the Rack Centre feeder on November 2, which it said resulted from a cable fault on IKEDC’s network and was repaired by the distribution company’s crew.
It also noted that IKEDC’s own notice attributed some feeder faults, including those affecting MTN, Iju Water Works and Rack Centre, to its own network.
TCN urges DisCos to rely on NISO information
The transmission company warned that attributing electricity supply shortfalls caused by generation constraints to transmission failures could mislead customers and weaken public confidence in the electricity supply industry.
It urged IKEDC and other distribution companies to stop making what it described as unfounded claims about the causes of supply interruptions.
“DisCos should communicate based on verified information from NISO, the body responsible for the operation of the grid,” the statement said.
TCN also advised electricity consumers to consult NISO’s official platforms for updates on the state of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.
The company expressed sympathy for customers experiencing reduced hours of electricity supply, saying it remained committed to transmitting all available energy safely and efficiently.
It added that it would continue working with NISO, generation companies and distribution companies to improve electricity supply within existing operational constraints.
The disagreement highlights the different roles of generation, transmission and distribution operators in Nigeria’s electricity market, as customers continue to experience reduced supply hours.
