Abuja – The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced a two-day planned maintenance operation at its Irrua 132/33kV Transmission Substation in Edo State, a development expected to disrupt bulk electricity supply to customers served by five major distribution feeders.
The exercise, scheduled for November 2 and 3, 2026, will involve work on the substation’s 100MVA power transformer to enable contractors to commission an installed SERGI fire protection system.
According to TCN, the maintenance will take place between 10:00am and 5:00pm on each day, effectively preventing the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) from taking bulk electricity for onward distribution to affected customers throughout the scheduled work periods.
The affected feeders are Ehor, Uzebba, Ubiaja, Ekpoma and Agbor 33kV feeders, placing electricity consumers served by the networks under a temporary supply disruption during the maintenance exercise.
The announcement underscores the operational challenges associated with maintaining critical transmission infrastructure while ensuring the safety and reliability of high-capacity electricity equipment.
TCN disclosed that the planned intervention would affect electricity supply to customers connected to the five 33kV feeders supplied through the Irrua transmission substation.
BEDC will be unable to receive bulk electricity through the affected transmission arrangement during the maintenance hours, meaning customers relying on the feeders should expect interruptions in supply.
The two-day schedule means the affected distribution networks will experience disruptions between 10:00am and 5:00pm on November 2 and 3.
TCN did not indicate whether alternative supply arrangements would be available to cushion the impact on customers during the exercise.
At the heart of the maintenance operation is the commissioning of the SERGI fire protection system installed on the 100MVA transformer.
The system is designed to provide fire protection for critical transformer infrastructure, an important consideration given the operational and financial consequences of major transformer fires at electricity transmission facilities.
The commissioning exercise is expected to enable TCN contractors to complete the required work on the installed protection system.
Transformers are among the most critical components of the national transmission network, as their failure can disrupt electricity delivery to multiple distribution networks and thousands of consumers.
The planned intervention therefore forms part of the technical work required to support the protection of the Irrua transmission facility.
The transmission company apologised to electricity consumers in the affected areas for the inconvenience the scheduled maintenance would cause.
In its notice dated November 1, 2026, and signed by Management, TCN urged customers to bear with the company during the exercise.
The Company did not announce a wider shutdown of the transmission network but specifically identified the five 33kV feeders that would be affected by the inability of BEDC to off-take bulk electricity.
Electricity consumers in Ehor, Uzebba, Ubiaja, Ekpoma and Agbor are therefore expected to plan around the announced interruption as TCN undertakes the transformer protection system commissioning.
The maintenance is scheduled to end at 5:00pm on November 3, 2026.
