Residents, students, and business owners in Keffi and Akwanga, Nasarawa State, are facing a prolonged power outage following the collapse of three transmission towers on the Karu–Keffi–Akwanga 132kV transmission line corridor. The blackout has significantly disrupted business activities, increased the cost of charging electronic devices, and made studying difficult for students preparing for examinations. The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) attributed the disruption to damage to transmission infrastructure serving the two local government areas during a recent downpour and windy conditions.
According to TCN, the transmission line tripped on overcurrent relay protection before investigations revealed that towers T78, T79, and T80 had collapsed. Consequently, the outgoing 33kV feeders at the Keffi and Akwanga transmission substations became unavailable, leaving thousands without power. The outage has affected various aspects of life in the two local government areas, with businesses struggling to operate and students finding it challenging to study.
A former National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) staff member, Mr. Paul Danjuma, explained the technical implications of the collapsed towers. He stated that the 132kV line supplies electricity to transmission substations, which distribute power to consumers through lower-voltage feeders. The damaged line had to be isolated for safety reasons, disrupting electricity supply to customers connected to the affected substations.
TCN said its engineers were assessing the damage and identifying the materials needed to commence restoration work. The company apologized to affected customers and promised to provide updates as restoration progresses. The assessment and restoration process is expected to take some time, leaving residents and businesses to cope with the outage in the meantime.
The outage has had a significant impact on the local economy, with businesses forced to close or operate at reduced capacity. The increased cost of charging electronic devices has also affected residents, who are now relying on alternative power sources. Students preparing for examinations are also feeling the effects of the outage, as studying and accessing educational resources become increasingly difficult.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria has assured affected customers that it is working to restore power as soon as possible. The company's efforts to repair the damaged transmission line and restore power to the affected areas are ongoing. Residents and businesses are advised to be patient and to report any further issues or concerns to the relevant authorities.
The incident highlights the importance of maintaining and upgrading transmission infrastructure to prevent such outages in the future. The collapse of the transmission towers has also raised concerns about the reliability and efficiency of the power supply in the region. As the restoration process continues, residents and businesses are hopeful that power will be restored soon.
Key points
- The collapse of three transmission towers on the Karu–Keffi–Akwanga 132kV transmission line corridor has caused a prolonged power outage in Keffi and Akwanga, Nasarawa State.
- The outage has disrupted business activities, increased the cost of charging electronic devices, and made studying difficult for students preparing for examinations.
- The Transmission Company of Nigeria has apologized to affected customers and promised to provide updates as restoration progresses.
