ABUJA, Nigeria — The Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, announced on Friday, October 18, 2024, that two towers along its crucial 330kV Shiroro–Kaduna transmission lines have been severely damaged by suspected vandals, further disrupting power supply to parts of the Northwest region.
The damaged infrastructure includes towers T13300 and T136, which were found with multiple points of damage to their cables, according to TCN General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah.
The vandalism led to both lines tripping, starting with the 330kV transmission line 1, followed closely by line 2. Local vigilantes, prompted to patrol the lines after the trip-off, discovered the damage.
The incident has complicated efforts to reclose the first line and restore full power transmission.
“Arrangements are in top gear to deploy the newly procured ‘emergency restoration system’ to the site, pending the reconstruction of the damaged towers,” Mbah said in a statement.
She added that the TCN had carried out an aerial survey in collaboration with security operatives, given the region’s vulnerability to banditry, which threatens both the installations and TCN personnel.
The Shiroro-Kaduna 330kV transmission lines 1 and 2 are critical to delivering bulk power to parts of Northwest Nigeria, with each line capable of transmitting 600 megawatts (MW) of electricity.
The disruption has impacted the electricity supply to key regions such as Kaduna and Kano.
In response to the crisis, TCN engineers have implemented a temporary solution by routing bulk power through the 330kV Kaduna-Jos transmission line, ensuring that supply is maintained, albeit at a reduced capacity.
Despite the challenges, Mbah reassured the public of the company’s commitment to restoring the damaged lines.
“We are committed to re-erecting the towers and restringing the transmission lines to restore bulk power transmission through both 330kV power transmission lines,” she said.
As the TCN works to repair the damage, the government and stakeholders are expected to reinforce measures to protect critical national infrastructure.
