Vandals strike Lokoja transmission line, disrupt power supply

In a fresh blow to Nigeria’s power infrastructure, vandals have attacked the Transmission Company of Nigeria’s (TCN) Lokoja-Gwagwalada transmission line, leading to significant disruptions in bulk electricity transmission.

TCN confirmed the incident, which occurred early Saturday, on its “X” page in a series of posts, reporting that it severely affected power flow along the critical 330kV line.

According to Ndidi Mbah, TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, engineers attempted to restore power to the transmission line, but their efforts were thwarted as the line tripped shortly after re-energizing attempts.

“Upon inspection, our patrol team discovered that towers T306, T307, and T308 were compromised, with two spans of aluminium conductor missing,” Mbah stated.

The damage affects only one of the line’s two circuits, and TCN is working to maintain power flow through the second line while urgently sourcing replacement conductors for the damaged spans.

READ ALSO:TCN restores bulk power supply to Gombe-Damaturu-Maiduguri line

However, the company raised alarms about a growing trend of vandalism, particularly in the Gwagwalada area. Previous incidents have targeted other transmission lines, including the Gwagwalada-Kukuwaba-Apo line and Gwagwalada-Katampe line earlier this year.

“The rising trend of vandalism severely impacts the expansion and stability of the national grid,” TCN noted, urging communities and security agencies to intensify efforts to curb such attacks.

“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

“Vandalism of power installations undermines efforts to strengthen the nation’s transmission system and is a disservice to all Nigerians,” the statement concluded.