The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has pledged to restore stable electricity to the northern regions affected by recent blackouts, aiming for completion by Sunday, November 3, 2024.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, TCN’s Chief Executive, Sule Abdulaziz, highlighted the company’s ongoing struggles with infrastructure vandalism and insecurity, which have hindered power restoration efforts.
The power outage began on September 9, 2024, when the Shiroro-Mando 330kV Line 1 tripped. Initial patrols were conducted to locate the fault, but insecurity in the region blocked engineers from accessing critical areas. Attempts to secure the area using local vigilantes revealed a damaged conductor, but precise identification was not possible.
Mr Abdulaziz shared that subsequent efforts to carry out repairs at night, with local escorts to avoid bandits, were thwarted as the bandits anticipated TCN’s plans and set up a blockade.
Minimum power was supplied to the Northwest through an alternative line, but on October 13, this line also tripped, intensifying the blackout.
To overcome these obstacles, TCN enlisted the Nigeria Air Force for aerial surveillance, which helped pinpoint four damaged towers, three of which were completely destroyed.
In addition, on October 21, 2024, TCN reported vandalism on the Ugwuaji-Apir 330kV lines, further limiting power transmission to the North and compounding the power deficit in the region.
TCN is currently collaborating with the Nigerian Army to secure impacted areas and has begun restoration on one line, expected to transmit 400MW of power. Abdulaziz also disclosed that, with sufficient security support, TCN aims to repair the second line by November 3, which would significantly enhance power delivery to the North.
In response to the continued attacks on power infrastructure, Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, joined the briefing and called for stricter penalties against vandals.
Mr Adelabu urged the National Assembly to accelerate a bill that would criminalize the destruction of power assets, proposing capital punishment as a potential deterrent.
The minister also advocated for a nationwide ban on scrap metal sales, which he identified as a driver of infrastructure vandalism, and urged Nigerians to view and protect power assets as essential public resources.
