Blackout hits Kano, Kaduna as vandals destroy TCN towers

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Parts of Kano and Kaduna have been plunged into darkness following the destruction of two transmission towers belonging to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

The towers, T133 and T136, situated along the 330-kilovolt Shiroro-Kaduna lines 1 and 2, were targeted by vandals, causing significant damage to the cables.

The TCN spokesperson, Ndidi Mbah, revealed the extent of the damage in a statement on Friday, October 18.

She noted that the transmission lines tripped one after the other, triggering an investigation.

“Efforts were still ongoing to reclose the first line when the second tripped, prompting the immediate mobilisation of local vigilantes to patrol the area,” Mbah said.

Engineers have also put in place temporary measures to restore bulk power to the affected regions via the 330kV Kaduna-Jos transmission line.

The Shiroro-Kaduna transmission lines are critical, as they deliver up to 600 megawatts of power each to parts of the North West region.

“The vandalism presents a significant challenge to bulk power transmission,” Mbah added, acknowledging the threat of banditry in the area, which has posed ongoing risks to TCN infrastructure.

This incident comes just days after a national grid collapse, further complicating the power situation in the country.

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