PHED and TCN blame each other as storm destroys facilities

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The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) blame each other for an early morning windstorm that destroyed facilities at the Transmission Company premises in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

The incident happened in the morning rain in the state capital on Tuesday, destroying utility poles, cables and a transformer near the fence of the Afaha Ube transmission station.

Eyewitness and street resident Edet Emmanuel said the storm started around 4 a.m., cutting off the branch of an ornamental tree planted near the transmission company’s fence.

Emmanuel further explained that the fallen branch of the tree affected the low voltage cables and poles near the transformer, causing them to collapse and block the entire road, making it impassable for motorists and pedestrians.

He said he was relieved that the incident happened early in the morning, when there were fewer people, because it could have caused casualties if it had happened during the day.

“The poles have no strength in the ground because they have all expired. Even the poles that the cables connect to the transformer have all deteriorated.

“Look at the wall that protects the transformer, it is completely dilapidated. How do you expect them to survive the windstorm?

“The storm wasn’t even strong enough to knock down power poles, but because the PHED power installations are outdated and very weak, it knocked them down with a short threat of wind.”

Speaking to reporters at the site of the incident along Afaha Ube, near Ikot Ekpene Road, a senior PHED official at IBB Way branch described the incident as “an act of God”. .

In an exchange of words with those responsible for the affected transmission station, the operational director of PHED exonerated the company of the incident, saying that it was not their duty to prune the tree planted on the premises. of the transmission, even though it had wreaked havoc on the power lines inside the transmission. station.

One of the transmission station staff, who requested anonymity for fear of being victimized by his employers, explained that it was PHED’s duty to clear all cable lines of any obstructions, but they refused to do so.

“I called PHED officials several times to come and cut down this tree to save their cable lines from disaster, but they didn’t show up until it caused this damage today. today.

“It is PHED’s responsibility to change weak installations like poles, clean power lines and replace other weak installations that may pose a hazard to their lines, but they ignore it,” he said. declared.

Meanwhile, one of the residents of Afaha Ube, where the transmitter station is located, Mr. Bassey Otu, complained about some anti-social activities of PHED towards them.

They listed the acts committed by PHED against them to include outrageous bills, refusal to repair transformers and cables, and failure to replace weak poles in the streets.

“Recently, PHED asked us for N250,000 as electricity bill. They have colluded with the community to generate incredible bills.

“PHED cannot replace weak cables. In extreme cases, we repair transformers, buy poles, while they only come to collect the bills,” he lamented.

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