Electricity
Blackout looms as vandals raid TCN transmission line
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) announced that one of its critical infrastructures, the Shiroro-Katampe 330 Kilo Volt (kV) transmission line, has been vandalised.
Mrs. Ndidi Mbah, TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, said this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday.
This is the fifth incident between February and March, Mbah disclosed.
She said that at approximately 9 a.m. on Sunday, the Shiroro-Katampe transmission line experienced a trip.
Mbah said that following initial investigations, TCN engineers attempted to restore operation but were unsuccessful.
”Subsequently, efforts were made to identify the fault location. Hence, linesmen were dispatched to physically patrol the suspected area.
”During the fault tracing process, the vigilante team leaders in the vicinity notified Transmission Company of Nigeria linesmen of vandalism along the transmission line.
”The company’s personnel confirmed the vandalization of transmission line 1, from Towers 244 to 245, and the conductors were stolen,” she said.
She claimed that the Lokoja-Gwagwalada 330 kV transmission line would increase TCN’s wheeling capacity towards Abuja and the surrounding area.
”The company is working hard to minimise the adverse effect of these acts of sabotage on bulk power supply to Abuja and environs.
”This incident adds to a series of vandalism incidents recorded by Transmission Company of Nigeria in February, including the destruction of Tower 70 along the Gwagwalada-Katampe transmission line on Feb. 26.
”Other incidents include the vandalization of towers 377 and 378 along the Gombe-Damaturu 330kV transmission line on Feb. 23,” she said.
