By Raji Rasak

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has installed Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in its 39 substations in the Lagos zone to curb vandalism.

Mr Mojeed Akintola, the General Manager, TCN Lagos zone, disclosed this during a tour of completed and ongoing projects in Lagos on Tuesday.

Akintola said the installations became necessary due to persistent vandalism of the TCN’s equipment running into billions of naira.

“Last year alone, 10 of our transmission towers were attacked. We are still not yet out of it.

“We are collaborating with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence and other security agencies to check the vandals.

“Transmission Company is also partnering with the Baales and kings to help in taming this trend.

“Definitely, we can’t do it alone without the help of communities where these installations are based,” he said.

He added that the TCN management had visited some end buyer-companies that specialises in buying vandalised cables and equipment.

“We have met a number of companies that buy the vandalised equipment.

”We asked them to work with us to stop the menace and the response of some of them have been positive,” he said.

Akintola, however, said 10 new substations were currently under construction in the region which comprised Lagos and Ogun.

He promised that the transformers would be delivered soon, adding that 25 other transmission projects were ongoing.

Akintola noted that the projects when completed would improve power supply to Lagos and Ogun.

The Assistant General Manager, Alagbon TCN substation, Mr Mustapha Hussan, said the ongoing installation of 1x300MVA 330/132kv transformer and 2×100/125mva power transformers would boost electricity supply to Lagos by additional 200mw.

He added that the ongoing installation of 1×300mva and 2×60/75mva 132/33kva transformers would increase power in the axis by 240mw (NAN) www.nannews.ng

Edited by Chinyere Bassey/Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma