By Jabiru Hassan
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has reported that a thunderstorm on September 3 damaged the 132kV Otukpo–Nsukka–New Haven transmission line.
According to the company, the storm caused a conductor to snap near Tower 97, bringing it down to the ground. The high-voltage discharge set fire to a house built under the line, burnt a car parked within the right-of-way, and killed two cows. No human casualties were recorded.
Following the incident, TCN’s Enugu Regional Manager, Engr. Tom Inugonum, led a team to the site for an on-the-spot assessment. The company’s Quick Response Line Maintenance Team has since begun dismantling the damaged section to restring a new conductor.
Despite the disruption, TCN confirmed that there was no power outage in Nsukka, as supply was diverted through the Otukpo 132kV Transmission Substation to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) for onward distribution.
While expressing relief that no lives were lost, TCN warned against building or parking under transmission lines, stressing that such encroachments pose grave risks to lives and property.
The company reiterated its commitment to maintaining a stable and secure national grid while ensuring public safety.
