The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has announced that electricity-generating units affected by ongoing outages will be back in service within the next 72 hours. This response aims to alleviate the persistent power disruptions experienced in several states, including Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory.
Tegbe identified the causes of these outages as planned maintenance at Egbin Power Station, gas supply issues affecting some thermal power plants, and sabotage of transmission lines. He acknowledged the hardship these outages have inflicted on both households and businesses, stating, “I am aware of the strain that the current outages have placed on households and businesses in four affected states, including Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory.”
He further explained that the planned maintenance and gas supply constraints have decreased the electricity available on the national grid, leading to the implementation of load shedding in various areas. The minister emphasized that sabotage of key transmission lines has limited options for rerouting power supply, particularly impacting Lagos.
Efforts are underway at the ministry to collaborate with relevant operators to restore the affected generating units, enhance gas supply to power plants, and expedite repairs to damaged infrastructure. Tegbe assured that his team is working to bring affected units back online in phases, with initial units expected to return to service within 48 to 72 hours. He extended apologies to those affected by the outages and promised ongoing updates regarding the situation.
The situation has also sparked a dispute between the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Ikeja Electric concerning the underlying causes of the power supply issues. TCN reiterated its position, stating that it can only transmit the energy that is generated.
