Egbin Fire Worsens Lagos Power Outage, TCN Confirms Transformer Damage

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has confirmed that the recent fire outbreak at the Egbin Power Station has further intensified the ongoing power outage across Lagos State. In a statement released on Thursday, TCN spokesperson Ndidi Mbah revealed that the fire occurred on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, around 6:30 a.m., damaging critical equipment at the Egbin facility.

The incident resulted in the destruction of a 150 MVA (megavolt-amperes) power transformer due to oil leakage caused by a tear in its main tank. Mbah explained that the fire was traced to a faulty 33kV instrument transformer (CT/VT) installed by Egbin Power Plc, which led to the damage of TCN’s transformer and disrupted power transmission to several substations.

As a result, there has been a significant reduction in bulk electricity supply to the Ikorodu and Odogunyan 132/33kV transmission substations, which serve the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC). Areas affected include parts of Lagos State as well as Sagamu Line 1, Sagamu Line 2, and Maryland Line 2 on the 132kV network.

At the time of the incident, a total load of 47MW was impacted and temporarily transferred to a second transformer now operating under severe strain. This load deficit has since worsened, leading to widespread load-shedding in the affected areas.

While assuring the public of efforts to replace the damaged transformer and restore normal power supply, TCN stated that both IKEDC and EKEDC have been informed to assist with load management in their respective areas. This development comes amid an earlier announced 21-day blackout in Lagos, from July 28 to August 21, 2025, by Ikeja and Eko DisCos.