By SUNDAY ABBA, Abuja
Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, says vandals have again attacked its 330kV Lokoja – Gwagwalada transmission line 1.
In a statement shared by the company’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, said the ugly incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday 9th November 2024.
She added that TCN engineers attempted to re-energise the 330kV Lokoja–Gwagwalada transmission line 1, but it tripped, and after efforts to reclose it failed, a patrol team of the company linesmen was dispatched to physically trace the line for faults.
“Upon inspection, they discovered that transmission towers T306, T307, and T308 along line 1 had been vandalised, disrupting bulk power transmission along the route.
“Further examination revealed that the vandals had stolen two spans of aluminium conductor from line one. The Lokoja–Gwagwalada line is a double-circuit transmission line, and while TCN is still supplying bulk power through line two, efforts are underway to source replacement aluminium conductors for the two spans stolen from line one,” TCN explained.
It noted that the rising trend of vandalism targeting transmission lines and towers had become a significant challenge, severely impacting the country’s power infrastructure and hindering the expansion and stability of the national grid.
_This recent incident adds to an alarming pattern of attacks on the transmission network nationwide.
“In the Gwagwalada area alone, recent acts of vandalism include the attack on the Gwagwalada–Kukuwaba–Apo transmission line on 10th December 2023, the Gwagwalada–Katampe line on February 26, 2024, and several others on that axis. Such acts of vandalism continue to disrupt the stability and growth of Nigeria’s national grid.
“We once again appeal to members of the public, especially residents of communities hosting transmission lines and towers to collaborate with TCN and security operatives in combating this menace.