Residents Cry Out as Bauchi, Gombe, Experience Blackout

Customers in parts of Bauchi and Gombe States on Wednesday expressed frustration over the ongoing blackout following the incomplete repair works on the Bauchi-Gombe transmission line by the Transmission Company of Nigeria.

It is reported that the states have witnessed over 30 hours of blackouts.

The outage, initially scheduled by TCN and communicated by the Jos Electricity Distribution Company, was postponed mid-operation due to adverse weather conditions.

However, several customers have lamented the extended power cut, which they said has disrupted businesses and daily activities.

“We’ve been without power for days now. I rely on electricity to run my sewing machines. I’ve lost customers because I can’t meet deadlines,” said Aisha Abdullahi, a tailor in Gombe.

Another resident, Musa Lawal, a cold room operator in Bauchi, said he had resorted to buying fuel daily to power his generator.

“This has become too expensive. I spend over ₦10,000 on fuel every day just to keep my goods from spoiling,” he complained.

Meanwhile, the Jos Electricity Distribution Plc on Wednesday announced a delay in the completion of a planned power outage affecting customers in Bauchi and Gombe States, citing adverse weather conditions as the cause of the disruption.

In a statement signed by Saratu Aliyu-Dauda, Acting Head of Corporate Communications, JEDC explained that the TCN was unable to complete the scheduled work on the 330kV transmission line across the 132kV Bauchi-Gombe single circuit line on Tuesday, due to safety concerns arising from bad weather.

“As a result, the scheduled work to string the 330kV line across the 132kV Bauchi-Gombe single circuit line was postponed mid-operation for safety reasons,” the statement read.

The utility company acknowledged the inconvenience caused by the extended service interruption and assured customers that efforts were underway to complete the project and restore normal power supply.

She added, “TCN engineers and the EPPC contractor are already on site, assiduously working to complete the reconstruction works. We appeal for your continued patience and understanding as this situation is entirely beyond our control.”