Yemisi Izuora
About 96 high tension poles belonging to the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHED, were destroyed by heavy wind, during the downpour that occurred in Port Harcourt on Monday evening.
As a result, damaged poles with other associated materials, such as 150mm aluminum conductors spanning over 32,000 metres, several cross arms, among others, has thrown a cross section of Port Harcourt metropolis into darkness.
In the wake of the loss, five 33kv and four 11kv feeders namely; Borikiri 33kv, Rainbow 33kv, Choba 33kv, Rumuolumeni 33kv and UST 33kv were affected.
Others on 11kv were Rumuomoi, Federal, Wokoma and Water Lines.
Reacting to the natural disaster that culminated in the loss of supply to the affected areas, the Chief Executive Officer, PHED, Jay McCoskey appealed to the residents to exercise patience, while the damaged poles are being replaced.
He assured customers that the management would do everything possible to ensure early restoration of power supply despite thousands of naira it would cost PHED to do so.
“It is regrettable that PHED is facing such a loss at this moment, due to natural disaster but I can guarantee that supply will be restored to the affected areas because we have started sourcing for the materials to replace the damaged poles and other accessories’, McCoskey assured