Afam Power Rehabilitation: TCN Fails To Meet Deadline

Contrary to the announcement by authorities of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) that the rehabilitation work on the 132kv line Afam power plant would last for one month, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the firm handling the repair work could not deliver the work on schedule.

The rehabilitation work which commenced 1st August and expected to end 31st August was still on-going as at last Tuesday when The Tide visited the project site.

Principal Manager, Public Affairs of Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC), Mr. Obidili Onuwah while answering  questions from The Tide confirmed the development and said that the rehabilitation work on the double circuit lines was still ongoing.

According to Mr. Onuwah  the company handling the work has covered  an appreciable distance but the rehabilitation work has not been concluded yet.”

The PHEDC spokesman who however  attributed the delay to some logistics problem encountered  at the onset  commended the company for achieving what he described as appreciable progress.

A senior official of Afam Power Station also hinted that the repair job was inconclusive but that serious work was still going  on.

The official who pleaded anonymity further said that it was interesting that the company in-charge of the project was doing a quality job and assured that there was every indication that the company would conclude work in no distant time.

“You know, it is a technical job and so much challenges that might affect initial calculations including the time of completion comes in as the work is in progress”, the official stated.

He further remarked that much as the time for completion is important, what is more important is the quality of work.

It would be recalled that Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) commenced  the rehabilitation work on 1st August and authorities of PHCN had assured consumers that the job would be completed by 31st August.

PHCN had pleaded with power consumers in Port Harcourt and other  parts of Rivers 132kv line to bear with the company as major outages  would be expected during the repair period.

Power consumers were advised by PHCN to seek alternative supplies sources within the period of anticipated outage.

Luckily however, PHCN worked out an agreement with the Rivers State Government on the possibility of  supplying electricity to Port Harcourt from Trans Amadi and Omoku Gas turbins  owned  by the  state so  as to augment the short fall from the national grid during  the period. This agreement which mitigated the situation was hailed by the people and residents of the state.

Chris Oluoh