The Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, has attributed the epileptic power supply, being experienced in Kano State to the company’s inability to rectify a fault on one of its 330KVA lines that feed Kaduna and Kano states due to activities of bandits in Birnin Gwari Forest.
This was made known by the General Manager, TCN, Kano region, Alh. Bashir Muhammad Gote while speaking with newsmen at his office in Kano on Wednesday.
According to him, access to the faulted line has become difficult due to activities of bandits occupying the Kaduna forest, as there is fear of possible attack on the TCN’s technical staff as recorded in the past, leading to the loss of lives of both security men and staff of the company.
“We are having poor power supply in Kano due to a fault on the line supplying power to Kaduna and Kano from Shiroro Dam.
READ ALSO: Fuel price rises by 81% despite N6tn subsidy payment – NBS Report
“Our major challenge at the moment is how to patrol the Birning Gwari Forest in Kaduna due to fear of gunmen who hides there and once attacked our staff and security men who accompanied them when we had similar case in the past.
“This problem, has reduced supply to the state to 200MW only .
“I assure you that the company is doing everything possible to rectify the issue. We are strategizing on how to tackle the problem and return the line to the grid”, he added.
In another development, Bashir warned those encroaching its right-of-way to desist from the act for their own safety in order to avoid unfortunate incidences associated with such.
“We are calling on those encroaching on our right of ways to vacate for their own safety.
“Their action is exposing them to danger. Electricity has magnetic field, if only they know the load on such high-tension lines, they will not stay there.
“They prevent us from carrying out surveillance for proper maintenance and we have put in place, mechanism to address this issue of encroachment to avert possible disaster.
“Our encroachment committee are doing well on enlightenment campaigns working with district heads and security agencies to ensure this problem is addressed”, Gote stated.
