TCN announces loadshedding as fire guts power transformer in Oshogbo

By Etuka Sunday

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) at the weekend announced that the 150MVA, 330/132/33kV power transformer in the Osogbo Sub- regional/ Work Center office of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) was gutted by fire.

Consequently, the company said that parts of Akure, Ilesha, Ife, Ondo, Osogbo Complex, Ado-Ekiti and Iwo would be experiencing power rationing.

A statement by the General Manager, Public Affairs, TCN, SeunOlagunju said the fire which started after an explosive sound was heard from the 150MVA power transformer, raged for most part of the morning, but was successfully extinguished by the fire service, preventing it from spreading to the other transformers. The second 150MVA, 330/132kV power transformer in the sub-regional office however tripped during the incident but was not affected by the fire.

According to the statement, TCN’s Protection, Control and Metering (PC&M) engineers worked tirelessly to re-arrange the 132kV lines taking supply from the station, in such a way that the effect of loadshedding in all the affected areas would be minimized.

With this arrangement, one of the feeders was diverted to Ganmo 330/132/33kV Substation while the remaining three would now be fed from the second 150MVA power transformer that was not affected by the fire incident. By this arrangement TCN said that all the affected towns would experience minimal loadshedding as soon as the station’s second 150MVA power is restored at about 6pm today (7/3/2014).

TCN added that the Management of the company has commenced investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the inferno that gutted the 150MVA, 330kV/132kV power transformer commissioned in March, 2010.

TCN regrets any inconvenience the power disruption has caused the government and good people of Ilesha , Ife, Osogbo Complex and Iwo in Osun State, Ado Ekiti in Ekiti State as well as electricity customers in Akure and Ondo, Ondo State.

The company also assured that it will continue to work assiduously to ensure prompt response to all system issues and thanked the Osogbo fire service for putting out the fire even as it re- affirmed its commitment to continue to expand the nation’s electricity transmission capability.