Four Nigerian states namely Plateau, Bauchi, Benue and Gombe served by the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC) have been thrown into total darkness following a fire that gutted the Jos Transmission Station on Tuesday evening.

According to reports, the fire incidence whose cause has not be established started around 5pm and razed down the facility housing a 150MVA, 300/132KV transformer located along Zaria Road, Jos.

Friday Elijah, the JEDC Director of Communications, while confirming the incident said the four affected states would be in total darkness until the transformer is restored or replaced.

“We have deployed a team of engineers to access the situation; what we do next will be determined by their report. But we want our customers to remain calm,” Elijah said.

On his part, the Executive Director, Marketing of JEDC, Jirbo Verr described the unfortunate development as shocking, adding that the JEDC has a standby transformer which will be put in good shape and used as an alternative source of power in the meantime.

He however said he did not know how long it would take to restore power to the states as the company has not ascertained the current state of the standby alternative nor has it determined the level of damage done to the burnt transformer.