The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has incurred a significant financial setback due to two fire incidents in Birnin Kebbi and Sokoto, resulting in the destruction of critical transformers. The total cost of damage and repairs has amounted to an estimated N3.1 billion (equivalent to $4 million).

These unfortunate incidents began during the late hours of Thursday and led to the destruction of two transformers, specifically the 60 and 90MVA transformers that supplied power to Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara States. While the cause of the fire outbreak was not immediately confirmed, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Kebbi Police Command, SP Nafiu Abubakar, acknowledged the incident but did not provide details regarding its origin.

Remarkably, these fires occurred shortly after the restoration of the national grid, which had previously experienced a collapse earlier in the day. According to Adebayo Adelabu, the Minister of Power, the national grid's initial collapse was attributed to a fire outbreak on the Kainji/Jebba 330KV line.

The impact of these incidents extends beyond infrastructure damage, as they have disrupted power supply to various areas in Kebbi, Sokoto, and parts of Zamfara State, including Talata Mafara, Bakura, Maradun, Anka, and other regions in Zamfara West.

In response to these challenges, Dr. Sule AbdulAzeez, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of TCN, expressed the gravity of the damages caused by these fire incidents. He emphasized the need to establish an investigation committee comprising professionals and specialists to determine the root cause of these unfortunate events. TCN has lost two transformers and a control station, and the extent of the damage is indeed colossal.

To address the immediate power supply issues, AbdulAzeez revealed that efforts were underway to backfeed power to Sokoto through Talatan Mafara in Zamfara State. Additionally, engineers have already begun working on opening cable trenches and exploring alternative transformer solutions to restore power to Kebbi as swiftly as possible.

The TCN expects that the full restoration of normal power supply will take approximately two weeks, given the extensive arrangements required for transformers and other necessary infrastructure. However, there is also consideration of the possibility of backfeeding power to Kebbi from Sokoto, which could expedite the process within two or three days. AbdulAzeez expressed confidence in resolving these challenges promptly and ensuring the swift restoration of electricity to the affected regions.