By Adonis Byemelwa
Dar
es Salaam, July 31, 2024 — Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) has issued an
apology following an unforeseen power outage that affected the SGR line between
Kilosa and Kidete. The incident, which occurred on July 30, 2024, led to a
two-hour delay in train services from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma.
According
to TRC's public statement, the power failure was caused by wildlife
interference, specifically by monkeys and owls interacting with the overhead
catenary system. The disturbance resulted in an "Instantaneous Overcurrent
Protection Trip," which temporarily cut off power to substation number 7
in Godegode.
Thanks
to the prompt response from TRC engineers, power was restored by 6:30 PM,
allowing the train to continue its journey to Dodoma, where it arrived at 7:57
PM. The TRC has apologized for the inconvenience caused to passengers and
reassured the public that measures are being taken to prevent future occurrences.
The
incident highlights the challenges of maintaining infrastructure in
wildlife-prone areas and underscores the need for ongoing vigilance in ensuring
the reliability of vital transport services.
Similar
issues have been observed in developed countries, where wildlife, such as birds
and small mammals, have caused disruptions to electrical and transport
networks.
For instance, in countries like the United
States and Australia, significant resources are allocated to managing wildlife
interactions with infrastructure.
These
experiences emphasize the importance of incorporating wildlife management
strategies in the planning and maintenance of transport systems to minimize
disruptions and ensure continuous service delivery.