By CONSTANCE ATHEKAME

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has attributed the power outage in parts of Kaduna to the collapse of a tower following severe downpour and windstorm.

Mrs Ndidi Mbah, TCN’S General Manager, Public Affairs, said this in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.

“TCN wishes to inform residents of Kaduna State that tower No. 7 along the Kaduna town line I and II in Rigasa community collapsed on Sept. 18, due to severe downpour and windstorm,”. Mbah said.

She said that the collapse caused a cut in the transmission of bulk power to some parts of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KAEDCO) load centres, particularly the ones which supply parts of Kaduna South.

Mbah said that while inspecting the site of the incident, TCN’s lines men discovered that vandals had carted away some of the tower members, making it susceptible to collapse.

"The incident primarily affected power supply to parts of Kaduna South, causing power interruption in some communities.

"However, to ensure that the impact of the incident is curtailed, TCN has advised KAEDCO to link its 33 Kilo Volt (KV) Mogadishu feeder with 33kV Abakwa feeder to enable electricity customers in Mogadishu have access to power supply.

According to her, areas such as Kinkinau, Yan Tukwane, Kabala West, Unguwan Muazu and Kaduna North are unaffected by the incident and therefore have normal power supply.

Mbah said that TCN engineers were already at the site of the incident, dismantling the collapsed tower members to enable them clear the site and commence the re-erection of a new tower.

"We apologise for the inconvenience the incident has caused the affected customers in Southern Kaduna, and we sincerely appreciate their patience and understanding as we continue to work round the clock to build a new tower.

"Please note that every effort is being made to minimise the duration of the outage,” she said. (NAN)