By Oke Peter
The Transmission Company of Nigeria has disclosed that its contractors are working assiduously to erect four new transmission towers along the Jos-Gombe axis, to enable the restoration of power supply to states in the North Eastern part of the country, following an earlier destructive attack on four transmission towers by vandals.
The tower collapse affected Gombe, Damaturu, Maiduguri, Yola, Bauchi and Jalingo. Immediately after the incident however, TCN engineers worked first to redistribute available bulk supply on the Jos – Bauchi – Gombe 132kV line between Jos and Yola Discos, while work commenced immediately at reconstructing the four vandalised towers.
In a statement made available to Energy Worth Online on Friday by the GM Public Affairs, TCN, Ndidi Mbah: “Presently, we are rebuilding the four towers simultaneously. Progress is evident, with one tower nearing 80% completion, another at 60%, a third at 30%, and dismantling work finished on the fourth tower. Additionally, tower members are being fabricated and assembled on-site to expedite construction. We are committed to a quick restoration of bulk power on the line route.
“Construction work on the Jos – Gombe transmission line, taking supply up to Damaturu and environs will be completed and energized by the 20th of May, 2024, while the Damaturu – Maiduguri axis will be completed on the 27th of May, 2024. Expectedly, bulk power transmission would be fully restored on the affected 330kV transmission line by the 27th of May, Yola and Jos DisCos would also be able to offtake and distribute optimally from TCN substations.
“For now, only 38MW is wheeled to both Jos and Yola Distribution companies, with each receiving 19MW each. Efforts to take some of the available power to Jalingo was hampered by very high voltage on the line, which could cause a system disturbance.
“TCN is aware of the inconveniences resulting from the current inadequate power supply through Yola and Jos DisCos to electricity customers in the affected states, and pledges to earnestly expedite work on the towers, to ensure that the towers are completed within the time frame indicated. Pease bear with us,” the statement said.
