REUTERS/Neil Hall
While the Northeast Governors Forum (NEGF) amid recent increase in electricity tariff, especially for band A customers, decried the darkness in the region over vandalism of towers, TCN admitted that the lack of power supply in the region presents significant difficulties and challenges.
In a twist of event, while the company was yet to restore the supply, it reported in a release that three towers along Biu-Dambua 132k have been damaged.
General Manager in charge of Public Affairs at the company, Ndidi Mba, said the vandals also touched one tower along Makurdi-Jos 330kV transmission line.
The company said tower number T290 collapsed during the cable stringing process.
Mba said: “The incident occurred at about 7am, this morning, 27 per cent May, 2024, while the contractor was stringing the cable on the last tower, which was supposed to enable the final jointing of the power cable in time for energizing of the line today.”
She noted that the company had worked tirelessly to fast-track the project before the collapse.
Mba said while the contractors and staff have successfully completed similar projects in other parts of the country, the collapse of the fourth tower is a significant setback, given the extensive efforts to ensure that today’s power restoration timeline was met.
According to her, the contractor is currently dismantling the collapsed tower members, to enable its reconstruction and final restringing of the cable.
Mba described as unfortunate to the vandalism of the three towers along the Biu – Danbua 132kV transmission, adding that 16 spans of conductors were stolen.
The towers, which have all collapsed include towers T1690, T1691 and T1692, she said while noting that TCN has mobilized a contractor to commence their reconstruction.
“Additionally, this morning, the TCN lines patrol team discovered that tower T540 along the Makurdi – Jos 330kV double circuit transmission line has been vandalised. Sections of the tower have been removed, although the tower remains standing. TCN has contracted emergency repairs, to prevent its collapse,” Mba said.
