The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said bulk power has been restored to Maiduguri, the Borno state capital and its environs as of Wednesday.
This is nearly two months after insurgents attacked the 330 kilovolts (kV) Damaturu to Maiduguri transmission line on January 26, 2021, cutting off the capital from the national power grid.
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TCN restored the power using temporary 33kV high tension poles as a by-pass transmission line while its engineers continue to reconstruct the three vandalised towers.
According to the TCN spokesperson, Mrs Ndidi Mbah, in a statement, the Managing Director/CEO of TCN, Engr. Sule Abdulaziz, said while work was ongoing on the temporary transmission line in the month of February, 2021, five out of the TCN engineers working on the line were rushed to the hospital after their vehicle stepped on a buried explosive device by insurgents.
Despite the incident, he said TCN engineers re-mobilized to site and completed the temporary transmission line. Presently, work is still ongoing on the towers.
Engr. Abdulaziz was grateful to Governor of Borno state, Prof. Babagana Zulum, for his assistance so far, and commended the team of TCN engineers who consistently put their lives on the line to ensure that the 330kV Damaturu – Maiduguri by-pass is completed.
He assured that work on the transmission towers that were vandalized will be completed.
