The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), yesterday, reported a fresh setback after four transmission towers along the Owerri-Ahoada 132kV double circuit line collapsed due to vandalism.  
 
The affected towers, numbered T171 to T174, fell at approximately 6:23 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11, plunging parts of Rivers State and the entire Bayelsa State into darkness. 
 
TCN disclosed that the incident was discovered following a failed trial reclosure, prompting engineers to patrol the line and confirm the cause.  Investigations revealed that deliberate sabotage had compromised the structures, severing the power supply to the Ahoada, Gbarain, and Yenagoa 132kV substations.
  
General Manager of TCN’s Port Harcourt region, Emmanuel Apka, who led a team to the site to evaluate the damage, said the company is working to mobilise personnel and materials to repair the towers and restore bulk power to the affected areas.  
 
TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, expressed frustration at the recurring issue, stating: “We condemn this act of vandalism, which continues to undermine efforts to establish a robust transmission grid.”  
 
She appealed to host communities to join TCN in safeguarding critical power infrastructure, emphasising that such incidents erode progress in Nigeria’s energy sector.
 
Meanwhile, TCN said it has inaugurated a Network Monitoring System Development Committee, tasked with designing an advanced system to improve operational oversight. 
 
Led by Assistant General Manager (Research) at the Independent System Operations (ISO), Ojo Thomas Oladeji, TCN said the eight-member team would harness domestic technologies, including the Internet of Things (IoT) and Phase Measuring Units (PMU), to deliver real-time data analysis and resource optimisation.
  
The Executive Director of ISO, Nafisat Ali, stressed the urgency of the project during the committee’s launch. “The System Operator manages the entire power network, but manual operations limit our visibility and ability to track stakeholders,” she explained. 
  
She argued that an integrated monitoring solution is essential, as the new system, expected to be operational before the completion of the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) project, will serve as a vital backup.