The Transmission Company of Nigeria, Port Harcourt region, has decried the continued attack on its towers, saying it has secured four convictions and arrested six suspected vandals within its jurisdiction.
This is as the company confirmed the repairs and erection of 20 vandalised towers along the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132KV lines which it said hitherto plunged most parts of Bayelsa State into four months’ darkness.
The TCN General Manager, Port Harcourt Region, Emmanuel Anyaegbulem, disclosed this in Port Harcourt on Monday at a news briefing to showcase some of the achievements of the company in the last year.
While noting that the TCN has 10 regions in the transmission sub-sector of Nigeria’s power industry, Anyaegbulem said the Port Harcourt region comprises six states including Rivers, Bayelsa, Imo, Abia, Akwa Ibom and Cross River.
He stated, “Unfortunately, this year, we had a very serious challenge. Precisely, on July 29, 2024, we had this incident that lasted for about four months.
“That is the collapse of towers on the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132KV lines. And this is the only line that feeds Bayelsa State. It was a very big challenge to us almost from July till November 30 when we were able to restore the lines.
“Some of these hoodlums used machines to cut those channels and sell them as scraps.
“To construct a tower is nothing less than N12 to N13m as of the time it was done. When they cut off the brackets used to hold these towers together, the towers become vulnerable.”
He said with the slightest breeze, one could see them collapsing and when they collapse, they will pull the other ones adjacent and it will be a cascaded effect. He lamented that that was exactly what happened on July 29.
“And the TCN lost about 20 towers between Ahoada (in Rivers State and Yenagoa (in Bayelsa State),” he added, noting, “It is one of the greatest challenges I experienced in my years of service because that is the first time we have had as many as 20 towers collapsing at a time.
“We battled of course it was a rough terrain, swampy areas and all that. It took a lot of time and resources for TCN to mobilize contractors to start that. We have 330 and 132 lines. And these are the voltage levels transmission operates.”
On the arrests being made, he said, “We ensure that anyone caught is handed over to the police or whoever and follow it up.
“So, we have been able to prosecute four and six are in police custody now, you know, going to court and all that.”
The TCN GM, Port Harcourt Region called on communities to own the project and ensure that anyone caught tampering with its equipment is arrested and handed over to the security agencies.
He listed other achievements by the company to include the inauguration of a 100MVA power transformer at the Port Harcourt main transmission Substation and rehabilitation of the 132/33KV switch yard.
Anyaegbulem added, “The region took delivery of a 150 MVA 330/33KV power transformer at its Adiabo transmission’s sub-station under the Calabar sub-region. Delivery of 100/110MVA power transformer and accessories at the Port Harcourt main transmission substation.”
