Despite the already low supply of power in the country, six states, namely Abia, Imo, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers and Bayelsa, are to be in darkness for some months, following the collapse yesterday of five 330 KVA towers on the Onitsha- Aba- Alaoji transmission line.
Minister for Power and Steel, Liyel Imoke, who described the incident as �another unfortunate incident,� said the blackout in these states occurred as a result of heat generated from vandalisation of the transmission line.
Imoke, who said President Olusegun Obasanjo directed him to immediately make the situation known to State House correspondents, because of the impact it would have on the states affected, however, added that contractor would be immediately mobilised to site, to ensure that normal power supply returns within the shortest possible time.
While recalling that the gas pipelines vandalised in the Niger Delta by militant youths on February 18 this year are yet to be repaired, Imoke said power will be supplied to the states from the Afam Power Station until the five towers are repaired.
Imoke, while reiterating the determination of government to generate about 10,000MW of power by 2007 from the present 2,900MW, said �unfortunately, we are reporting another unfortunate incident in the power sector. Last night, there was an incident in the South-eastern part of the country, and this morning we received a report from the Managing Director of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), that the lines between Onitsha and Aba-Alaogi had collapsed. Five major 330 kv towers collapsed.
Jun12006