Teddy Oscar, Abuja
Three southwest states, including Ekiti, Ondo and Osun, are now experiencing power rationing among them, after a 150MVA, 330/132/33kV power transformer belonging to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in the Osogbo sub-regional/work center office was gutted by fire in the early hours of Friday.
Following the development, electricity is being rationed to parts of Akure, Ilesha, Ife, Ondo, Osogbo Complex, Ado-Ekiti and Iwo.
According to a statement issued in Abuja by TCN’s general manager (public affairs), Mrs. Seun Olagunju, the fire started after an explosive sound was heard from the 150MVA power transformer, which was commissioned in March 2010.
“(The fire) 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,” the statement read in part.
The statement added that TCN’s Protection, Control and Metering (PC&M) engineers worked to re-arrange the 132kV lines that takes supply from the station.
“By so doing, the effect of load shedding in all the affected areas would be minimised. 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, all the affected towns would experience minimal load shedding as soon as the station’s second 150MVA power is restored,” it added.
TCN hinted that it has commenced an investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the inferno that gutted the 150MVA, 330kV/132kV power transformer.
TCN regretted any inconvenience the power disruption may have caused the Federal Government and inhabitants of Ilesha , Ife, Osogbo Complex and Iwo in Osun State, Ado Ekiti in Ekiti State, as well as electricity customers in Akure and Ondo in Ondo State.
