By CONSTANCE ATHEKAME

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says four of its towers along the Owerri-Ahoada 132 Kilo Volt (kV) Double Circuit line have been vandalised resulting in their collapse.

Mrs Ndidi Mbah, TCN?s General Manager, Public Affairs, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

Mbah said that the affected towers, T171 to T174, were compromised, which led to their collapse at approximately 6:23 pm on Tuesday.

According to her, the towers were discovered after a failed trial reclosure that prompted a subsequent patrol.

A ?reclosure? refers to the automatic re-energisation of a power line after a fault has been detected and the line has been temporarily de-energised.

?Investigations confirmed that the towers? collapse was a direct result of vandalism.

?This incident has disrupted power supply to the Ahoada, Gbarain, and Yenagoa 132kV transmission substations, affecting some parts of Rivers State and the entire Bayelsa,? she said.

Mbah said that a team of engineers, led by Mr Emmanuel Apka, the General Manager, Port Harcourt Region had visited the site to assess the extent of the damage.

She said that TCN was making frantic effort to mobilise personnel and materials for the repair of the vandalised towers so that bulk power supply could be restored to the affected states.

?TCN condemns this act of vandalism, which continues to undermine efforts made to put in place a robust transmission grid.

?We are again calling on host communities to join us in the urgent fight against the vandalism of power infrastructure,? she said. (NAN)