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Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), yesterday, announced that the rehabilitation and re-stringing of the four vandalised towers along the Jos-Gombe 330kV transmission line supplying bulk power to substations in the Northeast have been completed.
As a result, the residents of the area will now enjoy power supply.
The re-stringing of conductors was completed on Monday June 3, 2024, and contractors have reconnected the jumper on tower 282, making it ready for the transmission of bulk electricity.
When the vandalised towers were discovered on April 22, 2024, TCN promptly mobilised contractors and TCN supervising engineers to the site of the incident to immediately commence repairs.
“Initially, TCN had promised to complete the repairs and restore supply by May 27, 2024. However, the collapse of the fourth tower during the re-stringing process delayed the completion. The four towers have since been completed, and the line is now ready for bulk power transmission.
“TCN used the occasion to appreciate the patience and support of the governors and people in the North Eastern part of the nation during the period of the tower reconstruction work,” General Manager, Public Affairs of TCN,” Ndidi Mbah said.
Also recall that on May 27, the company announced the vandalism of the transmission line, the third time in one year.
TCN said that the tower collapsed, a month after it was erected by TCN engineers, so throwing the residents of Gombe and Jos into a perennial darkness.
The tower number T290, is along the Jos-Gombe 330kV transmission line.
The incident occurred while the contractor was stringing the cable on the last tower, which was supposed to enable the final jointing of the power cable in time for energising of the line.
According to Mbah, the restringing was done under a highly secured environment.
“Daily, the contractor, TCN engineers accompanied by security operatives consistently left the site by 10 pm in the night and resumed work at 6 am every day.
Constructing towers and stringing power cables at such heights is highly technical. Although TCN contractors and staff have successfully completed similar projects in other parts of the country, the collapse of the fourth tower is a significant setback, given the extensive efforts to ensure that power restoration timeline was met.
“It’s unfortunate to note that while TCN was working on reconstructing and restringing the four vandalised towers, three towers along the Biu – Danbua 132kV transmission line were also vandalised with 16 spans of conductors stolen. The towers, which have all collapsed include towers T1690, T1691 and T1692,” TCN said.
