By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has commissioned the newly completed Ihovbor/Benin and Ihovbor/Ajaokuta 330kV Turn-In Turn-Out (TITO) transmission lines at the Ihovbor Transmission Substation in Edo State, in a move aimed at strengthening electricity evacuation and improving grid reliability across the country.
The commissioning ceremony was held on Thursday, May 14, 2026.
Speaking at the event, TCN’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Dr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, described the project as a significant achievement in the company’s ongoing efforts to reinforce Nigeria’s transmission infrastructure and improve operational efficiency within the national grid.
According to him, the newly constructed 14-kilometre double-circuit transmission line connects the existing Benin/Ajaokuta 330kV line to the Ihovbor substation, thereby creating additional transmission routes that improve flexibility and stability in the Benin transmission corridor.
He explained that the project would enable TCN to evacuate more electricity from major generating plants, including the Azura Power Plant and the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) facility, while reducing bottlenecks and enhancing overall system reliability.
“The project has strengthened the resilience of power delivery within the Benin corridor and increased operational flexibility on the network,” Abdulaziz stated.
He further disclosed that the project has added about 600 megawatts of evacuation capacity to the grid, making more bulk electricity available to distribution companies for onward supply to industrial and residential consumers nationwide.
The TCN boss noted that the transmission line was energised on April 23, 2026, and has remained operational since then, with electricity customers already benefitting from the improved supply capacity.
Clarifying the role of TCN in the electricity value chain, Abdulaziz said the company’s responsibility is limited to transmitting power from generation companies to distribution load centres.
“Our mandate is to transport electricity in bulk from generation stations to distribution companies. The responsibility for retail distribution to final consumers rests with the distribution companies,” he said.
He reiterated TCN’s commitment to expanding transmission infrastructure across the country to meet rising electricity demand and support future growth, while also appealing to host communities to safeguard power installations against vandalism.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of Energo Nigeria, Predrag Mihel, said the project involved the construction of 30 transmission towers fitted with twin Bison conductors capable of supporting up to 1.5 gigawatts of electricity from the NIPP and Azura plants.
Mihel attributed the successful completion of the project to effective collaboration between TCN and Energo Nigeria.
In his remarks, TCN’s General Manager, Engineering, Engr. Mojid Akintola, revealed that the project was originally awarded in 2017 but encountered delays due to right-of-way challenges and funding constraints, which were eventually resolved.
He commended the Ihovbor host community, the contractor, and the TCN management team for their support in ensuring the successful delivery of the project.
The General Manager of TCN’s Benin Region, Engr. Charles Iwuamadi, said the new infrastructure would significantly improve wheeling capacity in the region by over 600MW.
He also stressed that TCN operates strictly as a bulk electricity transporter and does not distribute electricity directly to end users.
Representing the Enogie of Ihovbor/Evbueka, Mr. Elliot Imafido praised TCN for executing the project and appealed for greater employment opportunities for indigenes of the host community, alongside improved electricity supply to the area.
