News / National
Zesa loses more key electricity infrastructure
22 Jan 2022 at 05:20hrs | Views
Thieves have stolen at least 72 iron angle bars from Zesa transmission towers along the 33KV power line from Kariba South Power Station, weakening the structures and opening the risk that they could collapse.
The power line supplies Alaska substation for onward distribution to other parts of the country and feeds regional countries including Botswana and South Africa.
The electricity pylons are built from bars linked together to give sturdiness and structural integrity to withstand the vagaries of weather to the towers.
At least six towers were affected with 12 bars each being taken away from each raising fears that if unchecked, vandalism of the structures could eventually lead to the collapse of the towers.
Thieves stole iron bars from pylons 30, 31 and 32. The theft is suspected to have taken place between October last year and early January this year as the loss control team from Zesa's distribution arm ZETDC conducted the last quarterly inspections last September with the towers being intact back then.
According to sources, the thieves used a wooden ladder and spanners to unscrew bolts fastening the galvanised angle bars to the main frame.
They took 72 bolts, washers, nuts and angle bars inscribed K159A, K160A and K161A.
"The thieves hit the structures between October and early this year. They took away iron angle bars, nuts and washers among others," said a source close to the investigations. "The development threatens the integrity of the national power transmission infrastructure and effort is being made to account for the culprits so that our power supply is not disrupted."
It is suspected that the bars could have been stolen and sold to boat makers in Kariba and across the border in Zambia.
"Our main worry is that if this issue is not nipped in the bud, it could continue and one of these days the structures could collapse, affecting the country's power supply," said another source.
The thieves were privy to the knowledge that electricity produces radiation and electromagnetic force and hence targeted the lower parts of the transmission towers where there is less magnetic force. The last 5-metres up to the power cables of the high voltage power line produces magnetic force which leads to electrocution.
The power line supplies Alaska substation for onward distribution to other parts of the country and feeds regional countries including Botswana and South Africa.
The electricity pylons are built from bars linked together to give sturdiness and structural integrity to withstand the vagaries of weather to the towers.
At least six towers were affected with 12 bars each being taken away from each raising fears that if unchecked, vandalism of the structures could eventually lead to the collapse of the towers.
Thieves stole iron bars from pylons 30, 31 and 32. The theft is suspected to have taken place between October last year and early January this year as the loss control team from Zesa's distribution arm ZETDC conducted the last quarterly inspections last September with the towers being intact back then.
They took 72 bolts, washers, nuts and angle bars inscribed K159A, K160A and K161A.
"The thieves hit the structures between October and early this year. They took away iron angle bars, nuts and washers among others," said a source close to the investigations. "The development threatens the integrity of the national power transmission infrastructure and effort is being made to account for the culprits so that our power supply is not disrupted."
It is suspected that the bars could have been stolen and sold to boat makers in Kariba and across the border in Zambia.
"Our main worry is that if this issue is not nipped in the bud, it could continue and one of these days the structures could collapse, affecting the country's power supply," said another source.
The thieves were privy to the knowledge that electricity produces radiation and electromagnetic force and hence targeted the lower parts of the transmission towers where there is less magnetic force. The last 5-metres up to the power cables of the high voltage power line produces magnetic force which leads to electrocution.
Source - The Herald
