Residents of Abuja and parts of Niger State have been thrust into a blackout following the destruction of a key power transmission facility, 330kV Shiroro–Katampe transmission line.
The blackout has disrupted businesses, schools, and hospitals in affected areas, highlighting the far-reaching consequences of vandalism on essential infrastructure.
As gathered, the Shiroro–Katampe circuit experienced a grid supply disruption, promoting the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to initiate a trial reclosure.
The reclosure failed with the line tripping off again, this was disclosed by TCN through a statement by the firm spokesperson, Ndidi Mbah, on Thursday and made available to newsmen.
Mbah said that the vandalism of the 330kV Shiroro–Katampe transmission line occurred yesterday, resulting in power disruption to the communities relying on the facility.
He said: “Upon investigation, a TCN patrol team discovered that vandals had stolen sections of the conductor between transmission towers T216 and T218.
“The damaged infrastructure, crucial for transmitting power from Shiroro Dam to Abuja and neighboring communities, has left many residents without electricity.
“The TCN’s maintenance team has been deployed to the site to replace the vandalized conductor and restore power. The company reassured affected communities that bulk power supply via the Shiroro–Katampe line would be restored soon”.
In light of this incident, the TCN urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity around power infrastructure. The company emphasized that community cooperation is essential to safeguarding critical national assets.
