Planned power outage to plunge northeastern cities into two days of darkness 

Residents and businesses across major parts of Northeast Nigeria are expected to experience a temporary disruption in electricity supply next weekend following a planned maintenance exercise by the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN.

The outage, which will affect electricity consumers in Bauchi, Gombe, Damaturu, Maiduguri, Yola, Jalingo and surrounding communities, is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 25, and end at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 26, 2026.

According to TCN, the interruption is necessary to facilitate the installation of Optic Fibre and Ground Wire (OPGW) on the 330kV Jos–Bauchi–Gombe Single Circuit Transmission Line at the Bauchi 330/132/33kV Transmission Substation.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, said the maintenance work would temporarily prevent the Yola Electricity Distribution Company, YEDC, and the Jos Electricity Distribution Company ,JEDC, from receiving bulk power for onward distribution to customers in the affected states.

The company explained that the OPGW installation forms part of efforts to strengthen the country’s transmission infrastructure by improving communication, system monitoring and overall grid reliability.

Although the planned outage will result in about 32 hours of interrupted electricity supply, TCN assured customers that bulk power would be restored immediately after the maintenance exercise is completed.

The temporary blackout is expected to affect households, healthcare facilities, educational institutions and businesses that depend on public power supply, with many likely to rely on alternative energy sources during the period.

Power interruptions remain a major challenge in several parts of the Northeast, making planned maintenance exercises particularly significant for consumers and businesses that depend on stable electricity for daily operations.

TCN, however, maintained that the exercise is essential for enhancing the efficiency, reliability and long-term stability of the national transmission network.

The company was observed to have also apologised to customers in the affected areas for the inconvenience, urging their understanding as the upgrade is carried out.