Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has raised concern over the six power transmission towers along the Delta – Benin and Delta – Sapele – Benin 330kV transmission line routes that was vandalised and some tower members removed.
As contained in a statement issued by Ndidi Mbah, general manager, TCN, public affairs, on Tuesday.
TCN noted that as soon as the transmission line tripped, a lines’ patrol team was dispatched to investigate the cause and investigations revealed that tower No 61 had collapsed and aluminium conductors from the tower were on the ground.
“The patrol team also discovered that tower members of five other towers including the tower directly opposite tower 61 on the Ughelli – Benin line route were missing.”
The statement shows that with the collapse of tower No 61 on Delta-Benin line, TCN is now evacuating the power through Delta – Sapele- Benin 330kV transmission line alone adding that the collapsed tower has not affected power evacuation, transmission lines redundancy is effected until the second line is restored.
“We have been facing the challenge of repeated attacks by vandals on this axis since December 2018, made formal reports to security operatives and to traditional rulers in the area, including the King of Okpeland and the Ovie of Oghara, who have equally held meetings with their subjects to address the menace but to no avail”.
“The company has already mobilised its quick response engineering team to the site of the incident and they have cataloged requirements that would enable them commence repair works on the affected towers. Repair works would be completed in four weeks”.
TCN reiterated the need for host communities to watch over electricity installations in their domain, to forestall the destructive activities of vandals and also urge electricity customers nationwide to report any unusual activities around electrical installations to appropriate authorities adding that this incident would cost TCN millions of naira to rebuild the collapsed tower.
