TCN provides reason for pipeline explosion, blackout in parts of Lagos

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has revealed that Friday’s inferno at Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State that led to the collapse of 5 high tension towers was caused by petroleum products pipeline vandals.

The inferno occurred at a vandalised pipeline on Isheri Olofin, off Igbando-LASU Expressway and it caused massive damage to the 330KV Ikeja-West Akangba Transmission Line 1.

Spokesperson of TCN, Mrs. Ndidi Mbah who disclosed this on Saturday said the inferno burned off a large portion of the electricity conductor.

She said, “The incident which is estimated to have occurred at about 12.29 a.m. on Friday, burnt a wide portion of the 330kv transmission line which wheels 145mw of bulk power to the Akangba Substation.

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“The transmission towers affected are the two closest to the site of the inferno 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.’’

Going further, Mba said the substation takes supply from 2 different 330kv transmission lines, with the second being the redundant line, adding that TCN would rearrange bulk electricity transmitted on that line route to the second 330kv line previously carrying 59mw.

She explained that TCN was successfully back-feeding the substations affected by the towers’ collapse, while engineers were patrolling the second 330kv transmission line which tripped as a result of the incident to ensure it had no fault before it was energised.

She said, “Once it is energised, supply will be restored to all the substations affected by the incident from the second 330kv transmission line. Load carried by the burnt 330kv line will now be transferred to the second line.’’

Mbah lamented that an incident such as this was a major setback to TCN’s efforts at implementing grid expansion and stability under its Electricity Grid Maintenance, Expansion and Rehabilitation Programme.

She noted that the re-erection of 5 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.

The collapsed high tension line from Egbin Power Plant, Ikorodu, supplies electricity to Ikeja West which falls under the operational network of Ikeja Electric.