The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) reported that tower number T290, one of the newly installed towers on the Jos – Gombe 330kV transmission line, has collapsed. Additionally, three more towers on the Biu-Damboa 132kV transmission line fell due to vandalism. TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Mrs. Ndidi Mbah, shared that the tower fell during the final stages of cable installation on May 27, 2024.
Mbah detailed that the collapse happened around 7 a.m. while the contractor was working on the last tower, which was crucial for completing the power line in time for its scheduled energization.
Despite security issues in the area, TCN contractors and engineers worked hard to speed up the project. They worked long hours, often from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., with security escorts to ensure their safety. Building and stringing power cables at such heights is a highly technical task, but TCN staff have completed similar projects elsewhere in Nigeria.
The collapse of the fourth tower is a significant setback, especially given the effort put into meeting the power restoration deadline. The contractor is now dismantling the collapsed tower to rebuild it and finish stringing the cable.
In addition to this incident, TCN is also dealing with vandalism on the Biu-Damboa 132kV transmission line, where towers T1690, T1691, and T1692 collapsed and 16 spans of conductors were stolen. TCN has already hired a contractor to start repairs. This damage was discovered by a TCN patrol team last Friday.
Moreover, the TCN patrol team found another vandalized tower, T540, on the Makurdi – Jos 330kV transmission line. Although parts of the tower were removed, it is still standing. Emergency repairs are underway to prevent its collapse.
