NIGERIA:TCN Restores Power Supply To Abuja Transmission Substation After Successful Tower Relocation

By Onoja Baba, Abuja  

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has completed the relocation of eight 132kV and 33kV transmission towers along the Kukwaba/Apo line, restoring full bulk power supply to the 132/33kV Apo Transmission Substation in Abuja.

This marks the end of weeks of load rationing and power outages that affected thousands of residents in the Federal Capital Territory.

The relocation, which became necessary due to the Federal Capital Development Authority’s (FCDA) road dualization project along the Southern Expressway in Apo, was initially scheduled to end on January 20, 2025, but extended by three days to ensure proper completion.

In a statement released on Friday, TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, announced the successful completion of the project and expressed appreciation to the affected residents for their patience during the two-week period of outages.

“The Transmission Company of Nigeria is pleased to announce the restoration of full bulk power to its 132/33kV Apo Transmission Substation, effective Thursday, January 23, 2025.

This restoration follows the successful relocation of eight 132kV and 33kV towers along the Kukwaba/Apo 132kV line (Southern Expressway route), necessitated by the Federal Capital Development Agency’s road dualization project along the Apo axis,” the statement read.

The relocation process, which began on January 6, 2025, involved dismantling the existing towers, reconstructing them at new locations, and restringing the power cables to reconnect the transmission line.

To facilitate this, TCN implemented a planned daily power outage from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The successful restoration of bulk power to the Apo Transmission Substation has enabled the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) to resume normal electricity distribution to customers in the affected areas, ending the load-shedding and power disruptions caused by the relocation project.

“TCN appreciates the patience and understanding of the affected electricity consumers during this period,” the statement added.

The completion of this project highlights the challenges of balancing infrastructure development with the need to maintain essential services.

The road dualization project by the FCDA is expected to improve transportation in the Apo area, while TCN’s efforts ensure uninterrupted power supply as part of its mandate to sustain Nigeria’s energy demands.