The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has expressed grave concern over escalating acts of vandalism targeting the nation’s transmission lines and towers, warning that these attacks are severely compromising the stability of Nigeria’s power grid.
This follows the recent destruction of the 330 kV Lokoja-Gwagwalada transmission line in the early hours of Saturday.
According to a statement by Mrs. Ndidi Mbah, TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, the company’s engineers attempted to restore power on the 330kV Lokoja-Gwagwalada line, but the line tripped due to faults caused by vandalism.
Upon inspection, TCN teams discovered that towers T306, T307, and T308 along the line had been damaged, and two spans of aluminum conductors were stolen, disrupting bulk power transmission along the route.
“This growing trend of vandalism targeting transmission lines and towers has become a serious challenge, impacting the country’s power infrastructure and hindering the expansion and stability of the national grid,” Mbah stated. She noted that although TCN is still able to transmit power through the second circuit of the Lokoja-Gwagwalada line, efforts are underway to replace the stolen components.
The recent incident adds to a disturbing pattern of attacks on TCN’s infrastructure, especially in the Gwagwalada area. Previous cases include the vandalism of the Gwagwalada-Kukuwaba-Apo transmission line in December 2023 and the Gwagwalada-Katampe line in February 2024.
TCN appealed to host communities and the public to join hands with security agencies in protecting the infrastructure, warning that continued vandalism threatens the stability of the national power supply. “Vandalism of power installations is a disservice to us all and undermines efforts to strengthen the nation’s transmission system,” the company said.
As authorities investigate the incidents and work toward repairs, the TCN emphasized the importance of public support to combat the ongoing threat of vandalism, which has the potential to significantly hinder Nigeria’s power supply and its overall economic growth.
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