The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and the Borno State Government have mobilised resources to ensure quick repair of damaged and collapsed electricity towers in Maiduguri.
This, according to the company in a statement issued by the General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, on Sunday, will ensure the restoration of electricity supply to Maiduguri, the state capital and other affected areas.
Electricity supply was interrupted following the damage of its high-tension towers T159, T160 and T161 of 330kV Damaturu-Maiduguri Transmission Line in the North East.
TCN has completed new foundation of Tower T159 and have equally procured all the necessary tower members and materials for the replacement of the other two damaged towers on ground at TCN’s Baga Road Substation in Maiduguri.
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Work is ongoing to make them ready for installation, the TCN said.
On Saturday, the Management team of TCN led by the Acting Managing Director/CEO, Engr. Sule Abdulaziz; Borno officials led by Commissioner for Housing and Energy, Engr. Yuguda Vungas and the Managing Director of Yola Electricity Distribution Company, Engr. Baba Mustapha, were at the TCN Maiduguri Work Centre.
They conducted on-the-spot inspection of the equipment/materials and ongoing fabrication work of the tower parts for the replacement of the damaged towers.
Abdulaziz said since all the necessary equipment, materials and workforce were on ground and fabrication work was ongoing, the reconstruction work would soon commence at the sites, as tower foundation has been completed.
This means that electricity supply would be restored as quickly as possible on completion of the tower erection work.
Her statement noted that Abdulaziz explained while the damaged towers reconstruction is on-going, TCN is also temporarily, constructing a by-pass line for temporary diversion of the line which would more readily ensure supply to the affected areas before the main tower structures are completed.
Abdulaziz was quoted as saying, “First of all, I want to apologise on behalf TCN over what happened in Maiduguri and the North East as a whole. We understand the urgent need for power supply, especially in this axis at this time.
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“I want to assure you that the TCN is committed to doing all that is possible to make sure that the power supply is restored as quickly as possible.
“All the materials you see here will be installed very quickly, you can see all the materials, the conductors, composite insulators, channel irons and you can see our workforce at work already, fabricating the parts.
“Everybody is working, and they have been working everyday, Saturday and Sunday inclusive. This is because we are bent on ensuring that light is restored as soon as possible in Maiduguri and environs.”
Speaking on the transmission line in Damboa axis, Abdulaziz said the reconstruction of the Damboa – Maidugiri transmission line had been procured and work would soon start on the project.
“When completed, the line will serve as a second source of power supply to Maiduguri and environs,” he added.
