The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) faced a significant challenge when four of its towers along the Jos–Gombe 330 Kilo Volt (kV) transmission line were vandalized on Monday, April 22nd.
This unfortunate incident occurred around 3:32 pm, disrupting the crucial flow of electricity.
According to Ndidi Mbah, the TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, the trouble began when the transmission line experienced a trip, leading to subsequent attempts by TCN operators to restore service.
However, their efforts were thwarted when the line tripped again, necessitating a thorough investigation to identify and rectify the fault.
During their investigation, TCN’s engineering crew made a disheartening discovery that towers 288, 289, 290, and 291 had been vandalized, with certain parts stolen, and the towers themselves collapsed.
This act of vandalism not only caused a disruption in power supply to Gombe, Yola, and Jalingo Substations but also affected consumers in the franchise areas of Yola and Jos Electricity Distribution Companies.
In response to this crisis, TCN swiftly mobilized to mitigate the impact on affected consumers.
One strategy involved back feeding Gombe through its 132kV transmission line from Bauchi, followed by Ashaka, Potiskum, Damaturu, and Billiri/Savannah.
Despite the challenges posed by the vandalized towers, TCN vowed to exhaust all avenues to restore power supply to the affected areas, while simultaneously initiating efforts to reconstruct the damaged infrastructure.
Before this incident, TCN had taken proactive measures to enhance the resilience of Nigeria’s power grid.
One such initiative was the deployment of a digital system known as the generation dip/loss detection system (GLDS).
This advanced technology, implemented on April 18th, aimed to rapidly detect and respond to sudden drops in power generation.
By providing real-time monitoring and analysis of grid performance, the GLDS sought to bolster grid management capabilities and minimize the risk of future disruptions.
Unfortunately, despite these efforts, Nigeria experienced three grid collapses in 2024, underscoring the ongoing challenges faced by the country’s power infrastructure.
The first collapse occurred on February 4th, followed by blackouts on March 28th and April 15th.
These incidents serve as stark reminders of the critical need for continued investment in and safeguarding Nigeria’s electricity transmission and distribution systems.
