Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) has announced that seven states will face weeks of disrupted power supply following a scheduled outage on the Jos–Gombe 330kV transmission line.

The outage, announced by NISO in a public notice on Thursday, is set to run from April 9 to May 22, 2026.

According to the operator, the disruption will occur weekly from Thursday to Sunday between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm to enable the installation of Optical Ground Wire fibre optic infrastructure along the transmission corridor.

The seven states include Plateau, Gombe, Bauchi, Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, and Yobe

The agency explained that the upgrade is part of ongoing efforts to modernise the national grid and enhance its operational efficiency through improved Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems, Energy Management Systems, and telecommunications capabilities.

“The outage is necessary to facilitate the installation of Optical Ground Wire fibre optic infrastructure along the line,” the notice stated, adding that the project is expected to strengthen real-time monitoring, fault detection, load balancing, and overall energy delivery in the region.

Despite assurances that alternative supply arrangements will be put in place, the operator warned that consumers in the affected states should expect reduced electricity supply during the outage periods.

It noted that electricity will be routed through available 132kV transmission lines, but capacity limitations may result in service disruptions across feeders and substations.

“Due to inherent network constraints and limited capacity on these lines, customers may experience reduced power supply and service limitations within the stated outage window,” the statement added.

The system operator said it is working closely with stakeholders, including distribution companies and the Transmission Company of Nigeria, to minimise the impact of the outage.

The development underscores persistent challenges in Nigeria’s power transmission network, where infrastructure upgrades often lead to temporary disruptions due to limited redundancy and capacity constraints.

However, the agency maintained that the project would deliver long-term benefits, including improved electricity reliability, faster fault response, enhanced grid coordination, and better integration of generation and load data.

It added that the fibre optic installation would also strengthen the telecommunications backbone required for modern power system operations.

While apologising for the inconvenience, the operator appealed for public understanding, noting that the upgrade is critical to achieving a more stable and efficient electricity supply across the affected region. (Saturday Tribune, but headline rejigged)