KEY POINTS
- Power supply has been restored to many areas affected by recent electricity disruptions in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kwara and the FCT.
- The vandalised Benin-Egbin 330kV transmission line has been repaired and returned to service.
- The restored line is expected to raise electricity supply to the Lagos Complex to more than 1,000MW.
- Electricity sector operators are working together to restore supply to the remaining affected locations.
MAIN STORY
The Federal Government says electricity supply has been restored to many areas affected by recent power disruptions across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kwara and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, disclosed this on Monday in an update on the electricity situation, adding that efforts were continuing to restore supply to the remaining affected locations.
He said the restoration followed repairs to the vandalised Benin-Egbin 330-kilovolt (kV) transmission line, which has been returned to service to support electricity transmission.
According to the minister, the restored line is expected to increase power supply to the Lagos electricity complex to more than 1,000 megawatts (MW), bringing availability closer to the level before the disruption.
THE ISSUES
The Benin-Egbin transmission line is an important part of the network supplying electricity to the Lagos Complex. Damage to a major transmission line can restrict the amount of electricity delivered to an area, even when power generation facilities are producing electricity.
This highlights the different roles played across Nigeria’s electricity value chain. Generation companies produce electricity, the transmission network carries bulk power across the country, while distribution companies deliver it through local networks to homes and businesses.
Consequently, repairing a damaged transmission line can improve the amount of electricity available to distribution companies, but it does not automatically guarantee uninterrupted supply to every customer. The condition of distribution infrastructure and the amount of electricity allocated to each area also affect the supply consumers receive.
The minister’s update therefore points to two separate tasks: restoring the damaged transmission infrastructure and ensuring that electricity supply remains stable across the affected locations.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“I will like to report that power has since been restored to many of the areas earlier affected by disruptions, largely in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kwara and the FCT.”
“Our teams continue to work to restore full supply to the remaining affected locations.”
- Joseph Tegbe, Minister of Power.
WHAT’S NEXT
Tegbe said the government was working with generation companies, the system operator, the Transmission Company of Nigeria and distribution companies to sustain and improve electricity availability.
He said the immediate priority was to complete restoration in the remaining affected areas and maintain the improved supply following repairs to the Benin-Egbin line.
BOTTOM LINE
The repair of the Benin-Egbin transmission line is expected to improve electricity supply to Lagos, with the minister projecting more than 1,000MW for the Lagos Complex. However, the government is still working to restore supply fully in all affected locations, while sustained improvement will depend on coordination across generation, transmission and distribution.
