The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said it has successfully restored bulk power supply to the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132kV line after replacing 20 vandalised towers.
This restoration marks the end of a nearly four-month blackout affecting Bayelsa State, which was disconnected due to extensive damage from vandalism.
The company announced the restoration of bulk power supply through the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132kV transmission line at 08:03 hours on November 30, 2024.
General manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, who made this known on Tuesday, said a final inspection of the work was conducted on November 28, 2024, by a team of TCN engineers, led by the Port Harcourt Region general manager, Engr. Emmanuel Akpa.
According to her, "the team verified the integrity of the 20 newly erected towers (Nos. 48-64 and 97-99) that were destroyed in a series of vandalism incidents on July 29 and August 12, 2024. After confirming that all work met required standards, the line was cleared for energisation.
She however said discussions are underway with stakeholders in Bayelsa and Rivers states to implement a comprehensive community engagement program. This initiative seeks to educate local communities traversed by the transmission line on the consequences of vandalism and theft of power infrastructure.
Additionally, Mbah said the programme will involve appointing community representatives to oversee the security of power equipment in their areas. This approach aims to foster a sense of local ownership and accountability for the infrastructure.
These efforts are part of broader measures to prevent future incidents of large-scale vandalism, which left Bayelsa State in total blackout since July 29, 2024. The economic losses incurred by residents, as well as the significant financial burden on TCN to restore the towers, have been substantial.
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Recall that the towers on the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132kV transmission line were vandalised on July 29, 2024, when 13 towers were destroyed. This incident was reported on August 12, 2024. A subsequent attack occurred on November 19, 2024, affecting towers 29 to 31 and resulting in the theft of one-third of the conductor
TCN appealed to the public to support the nationwide campaign against the vandalism of power infrastructure. Collective action is essential to safeguarding the country's electricity assets for sustainable development.
