PORT HARCOURT — Repairs have begun on critical high-voltage transmission infrastructure in southern Nigeria after vandals stripped metal components from four electricity towers, risking power disruption along a key regional corridor.
Engineers from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) discovered on August 6 that vital structural bracing members had been stolen from towers 50, 51, 52, and 53 along the Afam/IPP/Elelenwo 132kV double-circuit line in Rivers State. The missing parts severely compromised the structural integrity of all four towers, prompting an urgent contractor mobilization to prevent collapse.
Community support urged
TCN formally handed over the site to contractors on Tuesday following an inspection by regional officials from its Port Harcourt division. Speaking at the site, Azuh Lucky, Head of Lines for the Port Harcourt region, warned that protecting power infrastructure required help from local residents, traditional rulers, and council officials.”Sustained community awareness and cooperation are essential to preventing further vandalism,” Lucky said, urging local leaders in Elelenwo to help monitor power installations as repair work gets underway.
Widespread infrastructure theft
Vandalism of power infrastructure remains a persistent challenge for Nigeria’s electricity grid, frequently causing widespread blackouts and costing the state-owned transmission utility millions of dollars in emergency repairs. TCN said it was taking all necessary steps to ensure the speedy completion of the rehabilitation works to maintain reliable electricity supply along the corridor, while appealing to host communities to report suspicious activity around transmission towers.
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