The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has successfully restored electricity to most parts of Bayelsa State after a four-month blackout, caused by the vandalism of transmission towers earlier this year.

The TCN’s Port Harcourt Region, which covers several states including Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Imo, and Rivers, faced a significant challenge when about 20 transmission towers along the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132 Kilovolt (KV) electricity line were damaged by criminals on July 29.

Emmanuel Anyaegbulem, the General Manager of TCN’s Port Harcourt Region, shared details of the restoration process during a press conference on Monday in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State.

He mentioned the major difficulties the company faced, especially the cost and effort involved in repairing the collapsed towers, which took from July 29 until November 30 to complete.

According to Anyaegbulem, the repairs of the collapsed transmission towers were not only time-consuming but also expensive.

He explained that each transmission tower costs approximately N13 million to construct, a significant investment that adds to the financial strain caused by the vandalism.

Anyaegbulem also spoke about the ongoing efforts to tackle vandalism in the region. In 2024, police officers working with TCN arrested 10 individuals who were caught vandalizing the company’s infrastructure.

Of those, four have been convicted by the courts, and the remaining six are still in police custody.

The company has stressed the importance of safeguarding its facilities to ensure the uninterrupted supply of electricity to customers.