From Yarima Haruna,Birnin Kebbi

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has restored electricity supply to Kebbi State through an alternative transmission route following the collapse of the Kainji-Birnin Kebbi 132kV transmission line.

The alternative supply was routed from the Kaduna-Mando axis through the 132kV Zaria-Funtua-Gusau transmission line and the Talata Mafara-Sokoto corridor.

The development followed more than a week of power outage in parts of the state after a transmission tower on the Kainji-Birnin Kebbi line (2KNJ-BRK1) collapsed during a heavy windstorm and downpour.

Electricity supply returned to parts of Birnin Kebbi in the early hours of Tuesday, but it was initially intermittent and lasted about two hours.

A source at the Kebbi Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO), who oversees one of the areas in the Birnin Kebbi metropolis, confirmed the restoration to our corresspondent on Tuesday.

The source said the alternative transmission arrangement would remain in place while TCN engineers and linesmen work to repair the collapsed tower and restore the Kainji-Birnin Kebbi transmission line.

The prolonged outage had triggered complaints from residents and business owners across the state, many of whom said the disruption had affected their businesses and daily activities.

However, the return of electricity was greeted with relief by residents who spoke to our corresspondent on Tuesday.

A housewife, Malama Ummi, said she was relieved to have electricity restored, particularly at night.

“I am happy that the light has returned. At least, I will no longer have to sleep in darkness with my children and endure mosquito bites,” she said.

Another resident, Malam Shehu Yusuf, said the restoration had eased the difficulty he faced in charging his mobile phone.

Yusuf said he had neither access to electricity from the national grid nor to solar power, nor a generator at home, and had depended on commercial outlets to charge his phone.

A cold-water vendor, Mubarak Sani Dangana, also expressed relief over the development, thanking God, TCN and others who intervened to facilitate the restoration of electricity through the alternative route.

The residents also commended TCN and the media for drawing attention to the hardship caused by the prolonged outage.

However, there is no official update from TCN in Kebbi state regarding the level of ongoing repairs but power has been restored to all parts of Birnin Kebbi and environs ending weeks of water scarcity.

During the power interruptions men, women and children in Birnin Kebbi are seen with buckets and Jerrycans thronging solar powered water schemes located at different areas in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.