By Smart Omoragbon
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Friday expressed concern on power supply as a result of an inferno caused by a vandalized pipeline along Isheri Olofin, off Igbando – LASU expressway of Lagos State.
The company admitted that this has caused massive damage to its 330kV Ikeja-West Akangba transmission line 1, burning off a large portion of the conductor as this may result in power disruption during yuletide season in the days ahead.
The General Manager, Communications and Public Affairs for the TCN, Mrs. Ndidi Mbah, in a statement, said this triggered a resistant pull on the high-tension towers along the line route causing five of them to collapse.
She, said: “The incident which is estimated to have occurred at about 00.29 in the early hours of today, burnt a wide portion of the 330kV transmission line which wheels 145MW of bulk power to the Akangba Substation. The transmission towers affected are the two closest to the site of the incident and three across the Lagos Canal.
As a result of the incident, there is a major reduction of bulk power wheeled to TCN’s 330/132/33kV Akangba Transmission Substation in Lagos.
“However, due to the fact that the substation takes supply from two different 330kV transmission lines, with the second being the redundant line, TCN will rearrange bulk electricity transmitted on that line route to the second 330kV previously carrying 59MW.”
According to her, presently, TCN is successfully back-feeding the substations affected by the towers collapse, while the engineers are patrolling the second 330kV transmission line which tripped as a result of the incident, to ensure it has no fault before it is energized.
“Once it is energized, supply will be restored to all the substations affected by the incident from the second 330kV transmission line, as the load carried by the burnt 330kV line will now be transferred to the second line.
“Incidents such as this is a major setback to TCN’s concerted efforts in implementing its grid expansion and stability programme under its well-articulated electricity grid maintenance, expansion and rehabilitation programme.
“This is because the re-erection of five towers and restringing of the 330kV transmission line is a major project that costs a lot of money and will take a while to complete.” Mbah, added.
She appealed to Nigerians to desist from activities such as oil bunkering, and other destructive tendencies, as they all have very far-reaching negative effects on the nation at large.
The issue of protecting our national assets, the Spokesperson, added is imperative and must be taken very seriously so that the stability of the nation’s network and the development of the nation is not compromised, she said.