TCN declares force majeure on Kainji-Birnin Kebbi line after Tower T367 collapses
By Aboki Forex —
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has declared force majeure on the 330kV Kainji-Birnin Kebbi transmission line after Tower T367 collapsed along the route. The collapse was caused by heavy winds and rainstorms, disrupting bulk electricity transmission between the two stations.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, TCN said the affected line tripped at about 10:44 p.m. on Monday, September 7, 2026. An attempt to restore the line at 11:07 p.m. failed as it tripped again.
Linesmen locate collapsed tower
Following the second interruption, TCN deployed linesmen from its Birnin Kebbi Sub-Region to inspect the transmission corridor and identify the fault. During the inspection on Tuesday, the team found that Tower T367 had collapsed.
TCN said its initial assessment suggested that severe winds and rainstorms in the area were responsible for the damage. The statement read: "The incident has affected the transmission of bulk electricity through the 330kV Kainji–Birnin Kebbi transmission corridor."
As a result, TCN declared force majeure on the affected line, identified as 2KNJ-BRK1, because the disruption was caused by a natural event. The company said it had begun preparations to send personnel, equipment and other resources to the site to rebuild the damaged tower and return the line to normal operation.
Alternative route keeps Sokoto supplied
Despite the damage, TCN said it had taken steps to maintain electricity transmission to Sokoto through an alternative route. Under the temporary arrangement, the TalataMafara-Sokoto corridor is receiving electricity through the Kaduna-Mando axis.
The alternative supply route makes use of the 132kV Zaria-Funtua-Gusau transmission line, helping to reduce the impact of the damaged infrastructure on electricity supply to the affected areas.
TCN apologised for any inconvenience the incident may cause electricity consumers and other stakeholders. The company assured the public that it was working to repair the collapsed tower and restore normal bulk electricity transmission along the corridor as soon as possible.
Broader grid instability persists
This latest disruption follows a forced outage on TCN's Alaoji 132kV Transmission Line, which cut electricity supply in Owerri, Yenagoa and Ahoada. That outage was caused by an earth fault and distance protection failure, with TCN maintenance crews deployed to restore bulk power supply.
Repeated equipment failures, vandalism and transmission inefficiencies continue to leave millions of residents facing prolonged power outages. For Nigerian businesses that depend on stable electricity, every forced shutdown along major transmission corridors raises operating costs and deepens uncertainty about the reliability of the national grid.