Darkness Hits Bayelsa as Vandals Attack Two TCN Towers

The Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, disclosed on Thursday that two transmission towers, T98 and T99, along the Ahoada/Yenagoa 132kV line, have collapsed following attacks by vandals. A statement by the TCN General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, said the incident, which occurred on July 29, 2024, in the Igbooghene community of Bayelsa State, cut off power supply to Bayelsa State. According to Mbah, “This incident caused the collapse of both towers, cutting off power supply to Bayelsa State, including TCN’s Yenagoa Sub-station and the Gbarain Power Station. Presently, Yenagoa Metropolis and the entire Bayelsa State are still without power supply.

“Our engineers, led by the General Manager Transmission, Port Harcourt Region, Engr. Emmanuel Akpa, and accompanied by men from the DSS, have inspected the site of the vandalized towers. Plans are already ongoing to mobilize a contractor on an emergency basis to reconstruct the collapsed towers.”

She explained that the latest attack follows an incident on June 16, 2024, where an individual was caught vandalizing tower T238 along the Owerri/Ahoada 132kV double circuit transmission lines. Another act of vandalism occurred on June 10, 2024, at the Ahoada Transmission Substation.

“TCN is urging the public to help in the ongoing fight against the vandalism of power infrastructure nationwide. The company will continue to collaborate with security operatives and host communities, including the DSS and Civil Defence Corps, to combat the menace.”

She said TCN was “interfacing with stakeholders, including security operatives in Yenagoa, to put in place other initiatives geared towards helping TCN curtail the menace within the state.

“As we continue to work towards a robust grid, it is pertinent to note that a nation’s power sector cannot grow efficiently if funds intended for infrastructural expansion are repeatedly used to replace vandalized equipment,” she added.

Source: Vanguard