KEDCO Explains Power Outage Affecting Eight Kano LGAs

The Kano Electricity Distribution Company has attributed the ongoing power outage affecting eight local government areas in Kano State to a transmission capacity problem following a fault on a major transformer at a transmission substation. KEDCO said the disruption is affecting customers in Kura, Garun Malam, Kiru, Karaye, Rogo, Bebeji, Tudun Wada and Doguwa Local Government Areas. In a statement issued on Thursday, the distribution company said the outage followed a fault on a 40MVA, 132/33kV power transformer at the 132kV Kwanar-Dangora Transmission Substation. According to KEDCO, the fault caused the transformer's primary and secondary circuit breakers to trip after multiple protection indications were recorded. The company listed circuit supervision, an earthing transformer trip, an oil temperature alarm, lockout and side-trip circuit supervision among the indications that triggered the protection system. The affected transformer was subsequently isolated, while the matter was referred to the Transmission Company of Nigeria maintenance team for repairs, KEDCO said. KEDCO begins restoration efforts KEDCO said efforts were already underway to procure and replace the affected earthing transformer, which it described as necessary for restoring normal electricity supply to the affected areas. The company added that it was working with TCN and other relevant stakeholders to reduce the impact of the transmission problem while exploring alternative sources of electricity for affected customers. “KEDCO is working closely with Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and other relevant stakeholders to minimise the impact of the transmission capacity deficit and explore available options for alternative supply to affected customers pending completion of the repair works,” the company said. The distribution company apologised to customers for the disruption and said normal electricity supply would resume once the necessary repairs had been completed. Eight local governments affected The affected areas listed by KEDCO are spread across parts of Kano State and include Kura, Garun Malam, Kiru, Karaye, Rogo, Bebeji, Tudun Wada and Doguwa. The outage therefore extends beyond a single community, with customers across the eight local government areas experiencing reduced or unavailable electricity supply as repairs continue. KEDCO is responsible for electricity distribution across Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states. The company's official website says its network covers a large part of Nigeria's North-West and includes transmission and injection substations through which electricity is distributed to customers. Different account emerges in separate report A separate report published on Thursday gave a different description of the technical problem. Business Times Nigeria reported that KEDCO had attributed an outage affecting parts of Kano to damage on the 132kV Kumbotso-Dan'Agundi transmission line. The report, citing a KEDCO notice dated September 23, said the line had experienced an earth-fault relay trip following a windstorm, while TCN engineers reportedly found damaged conductors and tilted cross arms. That account differs from the explanation in the latest PUNCH report, which specifically identifies a fault involving the 40MVA transformer at the Kwanar-Dangora transmission substation. The two reports should therefore not be treated as describing the same technical fault without further clarification from KEDCO or TCN. What is clear from the available reports is that the disruption is linked to infrastructure on the transmission side of the electricity network and that repair work is being undertaken to restore supply. Broader challenges in power transmission The latest disruption comes amid continuing challenges across Nigeria's electricity value chain. The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, said earlier this week that the country's power sector was facing interconnected problems involving generation, gas supply, transmission and distribution infrastructure. Tegbe said transmission infrastructure was under pressure from issues including vandalised towers and lines, overstretched equipment and frequent system trips. He also said distribution companies were experiencing significant technical, commercial and collection losses. The minister acknowledged that improvements in national electricity generation do not necessarily translate into reliable supply for every community because local transmission and distribution constraints can continue to affect individual feeders and areas. This distinction is relevant to the Kano outage, where the immediate disruption has been attributed by KEDCO to a transmission capacity problem rather than a general absence of electricity generation. Customers await restoration For residents and businesses in the eight affected local government areas, the immediate concern remains the restoration of regular electricity supply. KEDCO said it was working with TCN to minimise the impact of the fault and was considering alternative supply arrangements while repairs continued. The company did not give a specific date for the completion of the repairs in the statement reported by PUNCH. It instead assured customers that normal supply would be restored after the necessary work was completed. Until then, customers in Kura, Garun Malam, Kiru, Karaye, Rogo, Bebeji, Tudun Wada and Doguwa are expected to continue experiencing the effects of the transmission problem. KEDCO has urged affected customers to bear with the company as its technical teams and TCN work to address the fault and restore normal electricity supply.