THE Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has disclosed that reconstruction work on the vandalized transmission Tower Number 104 on Odukpani-Ikot Ekpene 330kV double-circuit transmission line in Akwa Ibom State has been 70 per cent completed.
The company also explained that work was ongoing to fortify other towers minimally vandalized along the same line to enable the restringing and tensioning of the 330kV DC transmission line before it is energized.
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The Executive Director, Transmission Service Provider (TSP) at TCN, Victor Adewumi, stated these when he visited the site of the incident at Oku Iboku, Uyo, to assess the level of repair works, on the instance of the Minister of Power, Engineer Abubakar D. Aliyu.
Adewunmi, who briefed newsmen at the site, said the tower had been reconstructed and work had reached advanced stage after three weeks, even with difficulties posed by the terrain.
In a statement issued by the TCN General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, late Wednesday, Adewunmi said, “The tower has been fully reconstructed, restringing has to be done with the utmost care after other towers that were also tampered with have been fortified, to avoid the collapse of more towers. We are, however, doing everything possible to reconnect the line to the national grid.”
He stated that the collapsed tower was not the only one vandalized, and that restringing the transmission line involved bringing down the 330kV DC line on some suspension towers that were minimally vandalized up to the nearest tension towers on both sides of the collapsed tower, and fortifying the suspension towers before restringing the lines to ensure quality work is done.
He also noted that the work had creached 70 per cent completion and that TCN was working hard to ensure that the 330kV DC transmission line is completed and reconnected to the national grid in one week to ensure the evacuation of over 400 megwaats stranded power at the Odukpani Power plant near Calabar, as well as the restoration of power supply to Cross River State.
Adewumi appealed to the public to help TCN in the fight against the vandalism of power infrastructure, saying that such acts were detrimental to Nigerians and the expansion of power infrastructure in Nigeria.
He also assured residents of the Cross River State and some parts of Akwa Ibom State that the company was fast-tracking the completion and restoration process.
Harrison Edeh is a journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, always determined to drive advocacy for good governance through holding public officials and businesses accountable.