Nigeria’s power woes deepen as vandals steal aluminium conductors from line one, says TCN

Regarded as one of the world’s top oil producers, Nigeria, with a population of more than 200 million, has struggled with significant challenges, including inadequate job creation, limited opportunities, mismanagement, etc. Out of these, electricity is one of the major issues of concern.

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As per the latest reports, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has stated a new incident involving vandals targeting its 330kV Lokoja-Gwagwalada transmission line. As Nigerians are already under havoc impacted by the recent vandalism of the 330kV Shiroro-Kaduna transmission lines, this news comes as another blow to the region.

Grid failures are frequent in Nigeria, where the power sector struggles due to insufficient investment. This year, the national grid has collapsed 10 times, starting on February 4, with the most recent prior incident occurring on Tuesday, November 12.

Aluminium conductors stolen

TCN noted that two spans of aluminium conductors from line one were stolen. However, efforts are currently underway to replace the stolen components. In a statement released on Sunday and signed by Ndidi Mbah, the General Manager of Public Affairs for the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), it was disclosed that the incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, November 9, 2024.

Vandals destroyed transmission towers T306, T307, and T308. The company expressed concern over the increasing trend of vandalism targeting transmission lines and towers, noting that it has become a significant challenge that severely affects the nation’s power infrastructure.

The Lokoja–Gwagwalada line, a double-circuit transmission route, currently supplies bulk power via line two by TCN as efforts continue to secure replacement aluminium conductors for the two spans stolen from line one. The growing issue of vandalism affecting transmission lines and towers has emerged as a major challenge, significantly disrupting the nation’s power infrastructure and impeding the growth and stability of the national grid.

On November 9, TCN engineers attempted to re-energise the line, but it tripped. Multiple efforts to restore the line were unsuccessful, prompting the dispatch of a patrol team to conduct a physical inspection. The team discovered that transmission towers T306, T307, and T308 along the line had been vandalised, resulting in a significant disruption of bulk power transmission along this route.

About aluminium conductors

Aluminium conductors are crafted from electrolytic aluminium, boasting a 99.5 per cent purity level. These conductors are produced from aluminium wire rods, the fundamental raw material form of the metal. Known for their excellent corrosion resistance, high tensile strength, and shock-proof characteristics, aluminium conductors are widely employed in overhead line applications.

Their reliable performance in power distribution is attributed to these same qualities. Typically used in urban areas, these conductors consist of multiple strands of aluminium wire, tailored to meet the specific demands of their end-use applications.