The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) with the support of Borno State Government has mobilised to ensure quick restoration of electricity supply to Maiduguri and environs.
TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Mrs Ndidi Mbah disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday.
Mbah said that the electricity supply was interrupted following the damage to its high tension towers T159, T160, and T161 of 330 Kilo Bolt (KV) Damaturu-Maiduguri Transmission Line in the North East.
She said TCN had completed the new foundation of Tower T159 and had equally procured all the necessary tower members and materials for the replacement of the other two damaged towers.
According to her, the materials are presented on the ground at TCN’s Baga Road Substation in Maiduguri and work is ongoing to make them ready for installation.
She said, “The Management team of TCN led by the Acting Managing Director/CEO, Mr Sule Abdulaziz, Borno State officials led by the State Commissioner for Housing and Energy, Mr Yuguda Vungas and the Managing Director of Yola Electricity Distribution Company, Mr Baba Mustapha are at the TCN Maiduguri Work Centre for an on-the-spot inspection of the equipment/materials and ongoing fabrication work of the tower parts for the replacement of the damaged towers.”
She said Abdulaziz assured that since all the necessary equipment, materials and workforce were on the ground and fabrication work ongoing, the reconstruction work proper would soon commence at the sites as the tower foundation had been completed.
Abdulaziz said that the electricity supply would be restored as quickly as possible on completion of the tower erection work.
He further explained that while the damaged towers reconstruction was ongoing, TCN was also temporarily constructing a by-pass line for temporary diversion to supply power to the affected areas before the main tower structures were completed.
“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.
“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 every day, Saturday and Sunday inclusive. This is because we are bent on ensuring that light is restored as soon as possible in Maiduguri and environs,” he said.
Speaking on the transmission line in Damboa axis, Abdulaziz said the re-conducting of the Damboa-Maiduguri transmission line had been procured and work would soon begin on the project.
He said that when the Damboa-Maiduguri transmission line is completed, it would serve as a second source of power supply to Maiduguri and the environs.
Earlier, the TCN boss while addressing its engineering staff working on the project, assured them of maximum support to facilitate its speedy execution and commended them for their commitment.
On his part, the Borno State Commissioner for Housing and Energy, Mr Yuguda Vungas, assured that government would provide the necessary support and security for the work to be accomplished on time.
He reiterated the commitment of Gov. Babagana Zulum administration to ensure that light was restored in the area and promised to lend the necessary assistance to TCN to facilitate the project.
He said ‘The efforts of the state government is to provide the necessary support and equipment for TCN to reconnect the state to the national grid for his citizens to have a regular supply of electricity.
“Our own part is to ensure that security is provided for human safety and the movement of materials.
“We are very happy to find ourselves here today with the managing director TCN, and managing director of Yola Electricity Distribution Company.
“It is a sign of the good relationship between the state government, TCN, and Yola Disco. Together we will work to restore supply to our people,” he said.
