The Managing Director of the Bayelsa Electricity Company and Board Chairman of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC), Engr. Olice Kemenanabo, has announced that it will take approximately four to five weeks to restore power to Bayelsa State.
The delay is due to extensive damage to the Owerri-Ahoada-Yenagoa 132KV Double Circuit Transmission Lines caused by vandalism.
Speaking on a Bayelsa-based radio station in Yenagoa, Engr. Kemenanabo explained that the procurement process for a contractor to repair the 35 to 50-meter-high towers is time-consuming. However, due to the state government’s commitment to expedite repairs, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has already begun assessing the damage while awaiting a technical report from its headquarters.
“The complex nature of erecting the towers involves dismantling the three affected towers, procuring replacement parts, and gradually rebuilding the structures from the base to the top,” he explained.
He also mentioned that arrests had been made in connection with the vandalism and that investigations were ongoing. He urged the state government, the Ministry of Environment, and security agencies to conduct raids on nearby scrap dump sites to recover stolen materials from the towers.
Regarding the state government’s efforts to refurbish the Kolo Creek Gas Plant and initiate power generation in Bayelsa, Engr. Kemenanabo stated that the process is ongoing but has been delayed due to lengthy negotiations with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC). These negotiations include the Gas Sales Agreement necessary for purchasing the gas required for the plant’s refurbishment and upgrading from 20 to 71 megawatts.
“A consortium of investors and the state government is in advanced talks with SPDC for the supply of 100 million standard cubic feet of gas,” he assured, adding that the agreement should be signed within two weeks following the governor’s directive.
Engr. Kemenanabo called for patience and understanding during the restoration process, urging Bayelsans to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities around power installations to the authorities.
