Explosion at Gariki Substation Causes Power Outages in Enugu

On July 17, 2026, at 7:30 PM, an explosion occurred at the Gariki injection substation in Enugu, leading to a blackout in several areas. Emeka Ezeh, representing Mainpower Electric Distribution Limited, confirmed that the explosion damaged the indoor 11kV breaker at the substation, resulting in power outages for the Gariki 11kV feeder.

Affected areas include the Army Barrack on Dai Road, Meniru, Joe Continent, Gariki Market, Mayor Market, Roban Store, and several streets such as Agbani Road, Amechi Road, and Upper Mount Ikiriki. Mainpower's technical team has begun assessing the damage and has commenced restoration work.

The company has apologized for the inconvenience and is appealing for customer patience as efforts to restore power continue. Earlier in the year, the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission downgraded Mainpower's feeder for failing to meet minimum daily electricity supply requirements for certain customer categories.