AGAIN! Vandals Strike TCN Towers Disrupt Power Supply to Abuja
By Fly Cable News
Suspected vandals have once again targeted the 330kV Lokoja–Gwagwalada transmission line 1, causing a disruption to power supply in Abuja.
In a statement released on Sunday, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) confirmed that the attack, which occurred in the early hours of November 9, 2024, damaged three of its transmission towers.
“On Saturday morning, TCN engineers attempted to restore power to the 330kV Lokoja–Gwagwalada transmission line 1, but the line tripped. After multiple unsuccessful attempts to reclose the line, a team of TCN linesmen was sent to inspect the route. They found that transmission towers T306, T307, and T308 along line 1 had been vandalized, disrupting bulk power delivery,” the statement explained.
Upon further inspection, it was discovered that the vandals had stolen two spans of aluminum conductor from the line. While the Lokoja–Gwagwalada line is a double-circuit transmission line, TCN has continued to supply power through the second circuit. Efforts are now underway to replace the stolen conductors.
TCN expressed concern over the growing trend of vandalism targeting the nation’s transmission infrastructure. “This increasing pattern of attacks is seriously undermining the stability and expansion of the national grid,” the statement noted.
In the Gwagwalada area, recent acts of vandalism have included the December 10, 2023 attack on the Gwagwalada–Kukuwaba–Apo transmission line, as well as the February 26, 2024 attack on the Gwagwalada–Katampe line, among others. These incidents continue to disrupt the stability and growth of the national power grid.
TCN reiterated its call for public cooperation, particularly from communities hosting transmission lines and towers, urging them to collaborate with TCN and security forces to combat this persistent problem. “Vandalism of power installations harms everyone and sabotages efforts to strengthen the nation’s transmission system,” the company stated.
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