- Anyaegbulem confirmed the restoration of 20 vandalised towers along the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132KV lines
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Port Harcourt region, has raised alarm over continued attacks on its power transmission towers, revealing that four convictions have been secured and six suspected vandals arrested within its jurisdiction.
This was disclosed by the TCN General Manager, Emmanuel Anyaegbulem, during a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, where he also highlighted the company’s achievements over the past year.
Anyaegbulem confirmed the restoration of 20 vandalised towers along the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132KV lines, which had left most parts of Bayelsa State in darkness for four months. The affected towers, critical to power supply in the state, collapsed following acts of sabotage.
“On 29th July 2024, we faced a major incident involving the collapse of towers on the Ahoada-Yenagoa line, the sole power source for Bayelsa State. This plunged the state into darkness until we restored the lines on November 30th,” Anyaegbulem said.
He explained that vandals targeted vital components of the towers, selling them as scrap metal. “To construct a tower costs no less than ₦12 to ₦13 million. When brackets holding the towers are removed, they become vulnerable, and the slightest breeze causes them to collapse, triggering a domino effect,” he added.
The collapse of 20 towers in swampy and difficult terrain posed significant challenges for the TCN, requiring extensive resources to mobilise contractors and restore power lines.
The Port Harcourt region, which oversees power transmission across Rivers, Bayelsa, Imo, Abia, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states, continues to grapple with vandalism, a persistent threat to Nigeria’s power infrastructure.
Despite the challenges, Anyaegbulem reaffirmed the TCN’s commitment to improving the reliability of the country’s power grid while calling for greater community support in safeguarding vital installations.
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