The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has rebutted claims by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) that a reported “explosion” at its Onitsha Sub-Region facility caused the widespread power outage in Anambra State and Oji River, Enugu State.
EEDC on Wednesday attributed the darkness that enveloped Anambra State and Oji River in Enugu State to an early-morning explosion at a Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) station in the Awada area of Anambra.
But, reacting to the report in a statement in Enugu by TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, the transmission company said the incident that occurred at about 2:34 a.m. on August 27 was the result of an insulation flashover on a porcelain insulator in the 330kV switchyard, triggered by rainfall.
The company confirmed that no equipment was destroyed, adding that supply was restored at 5:54 p.m. the same day.
TCN also disclosed that a scheduled outage had already been planned for August 31 and September 1 to replace faulty porcelain insulators at the substation.
“There was no explosion of equipment or loss of switchgear equipment in the TCN Onitsha region,” the company said, stressing that EEDC’s earlier communication was misleading.
The transmission company further cautioned EEDC against issuing inaccurate or sensational statements, describing such practices as “unprofessional and unacceptable.”
The clarification comes as the power sector continues to grapple with poor infrastructure, frequent system disturbances, and communication lapses between market operators.
Firm blames power outage on tariff slash, energy supply
Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has said implementing the Band A customers tariff that was reduced from N209.50/kWh to N160.40/kWh, will cause N1 billion losses monthly.
This was contained in a public announcement, Mainpower Electricity Distribution Limited (MEDL) management issued yesterday.
“EEDC concluded that implementing it would result in a monthly loss of over N1 billion, which makes it impossible for EEDC to meet her obligations to the Market,” the management said.
An evasion of the imminent loss which has led to a significant drop of energy allocation was the reason the MEDL cited for the significant outages part of Enugu State has been experiencing in the past four days.
“Mainpower Electricity Distribution Limited (MEDL) wishes to inform its esteemed customers in parts of Enugu State who have been experiencing power outages over the past four days that the situation is due to a significant drop in energy allocation from our parent company, Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC),” the company said.
It added that the development is a result of the recent issuance of a new Tariff Order to Mainpower by the EERC.
According to the announcement, upon receipt of the Tariff Order, MEDL, by obligation, promptly updated EEDC (its energy supplier).
MEDL management said after analyzing the implications of the new tariff, EEDC concluded that implementing it would result in a monthly loss of over N1 billion, which makes it impossible for EEDC to meet her obligations to the Market.
The announcement reads in part: “Consequently, and to mitigate these losses, EEDC made the difficult decision to reduce the volume of energy supplied to MEDL.
“This has unfortunately resulted in MEDL receiving only about 50per cent of its usual energy allocation, significantly affecting our ability to serve some of our esteemed customers.
“It is important to clarify that MEDL does not receive electricity directly from National Grid. Instead, we rely solely on EEDC, which holds the vesting contract agreement with the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET), the organization responsible for electricity bulk trading.
“We deeply regret the inconvenience this situation has caused our valued customers. Please be assured that discussions are ongoing with key stakeholders at the state and federal levels (including EEDC, EERC, NERC, NISO, and NBET) to quickly resolve this issue.
“We are hopeful that a resolution will be reached within the next 48 hours or soon thereafter.
“We also acknowledge that this communication is coming later than expected. The delay was due to the short notice with which we received the full details of the development.
“We appeal for your continued patience, calm, and understanding as we work diligently with the relevant authorities to restore normal service as soon as possible.”
The suspect, who was arrested in Onitsha, Anambra State, specialised in the replacement of original meter sensors with fake ones, thereby bypassing the meters and making them not record the actual consumption by customers.
This development, according to the company, has negatively impacted on the revenue of the distribution company.
Head of Corporate Communications, EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, said following a report by a whistleblower, the Meter Monitoring Team of the company was deployed to some locations on a routine meter monitoring inspection.
“At one of the customer’s premises at Bida Road, Onitsha, they discovered that the meter was bypassed, and the original meter sensor removed and replaced with the fake one.
“While the team interrogated the customer who admitted their findings, the customer gave out the identity and contact of the individual that performed the bypass as Lawrence Okeke, who happened to be an ex-staff of EEDC.
“Immediately, Lawrence was arrested, and handed over to the Central Police Station, Onitsha, where he is assisting the Police in their investigation,” Ezeh said.
According to Ezeh, Okeke, who hails from Adogba Village in Awgu Local Government Area, Enugu State, was disengaged from EEDC in December 2020 for gross misconduct.
“The apprehension of the suspect by the team is a great breakthrough in the organisation’s fight against meter bypass and energy theft”, Ezeh said.
“It is believed that by the time the investigation is concluded, a lot of atrocities already perpetrated by the likes of Lawrence in our network will be unravelled,” he added.
Lawrence Okeke, a former employee of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC), has been arrested for tampering with and bypassing prepaid meters for EEDC customers.
Arrested in Onitsha, Anambra state, Okeke specialised in replacing original meter sensors with fake ones, causing meters to underreport customer consumption, thus affecting EEDC’s revenue.
Emeka Ezeh, head of corporate communications at EEDC, disclosed this on Thursday, July 11, in Enugu.
He explained that the company’s Meter Monitoring Team was deployed to various locations after receiving a report from a whistleblower.
“At one of the customer’s premises visited at Bida Road, Onitsha, they discovered that the meter was bypassed, and the original meter sensor was removed and replaced with the fake one.
“While the team interrogated the customer who already admitted their findings, the customer gave out the identity and contact of the individual who performed the bypass as Lawrence Okeke, who happened to be an ex-staff of EEDC.
“Immediately, Lawrence was tracked and arrested, and handed over to the Central Police Station, Onitsha, where he is currently assisting the police in their investigation”, Ezeh said.
According to Ezeh, Lawrence Okeke who hails from Adogba Village in Awgu local government area, Enugu State, was disengaged from EEDC in December 2020 for gross misconduct.
“The apprehension of the suspect by the team is a great breakthrough in the organization’s fight against meter bypass and energy theft”, Ezeh said.
“It is believed that by the time the investigation is concluded, a lot of atrocities already perpetrated by the likes of Lawrence in our network, will be unravelled.”
Ezeh cautioned customers who engage in meter bypass to desist from such as the company has stepped up its prepaid meter monitoring activities and anyone caught will be made to face the music.
He also advised the customers against the activities of some ex-staff of EEDC who still parade the network as though they are still working for the company, while they are busy extorting unsuspecting customers and carrying out criminal and illegal activities that undermine the organization’s efforts in providing quality services to its esteemed customers.
“Customers should always be mindful of who they are engaging as staff of EEDC and be sure of their identity, as a lot of people out there carrying out illegalities, parading as staff of EEDC are not in its employ”, Ezeh warned.
While commending the whistleblower for giving the information that led to the arrest of Lawrence, Ezeh further urged customers to feel free to report any suspected case of meter bypass and energy theft through the company’s whistle-blowing platforms, assuring that their identities will be protected.
Some parts of the Southeast states in Nigeria risk being plunged into darkness as the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has threatened to disconnect them for failure to clear their accumulated energy bills.
Government Houses, the University of Nigeria, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, the Nigerian Army, and others could be affected if EEDC carried out its threat.
In a disconnection notice, EEDC advised them to clear the bills on or before June 10, 2024.
The notice by the company sighted on Friday reads: “The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) wishes to notify her customers with outstanding electricity bills, that effective from 10th June 2024, the company will commence the disconnection of electricity supply to these indebted customers.
“This exercise has become necessary considering the huge unpaid electricity bills and accrued arrears, which has consistently put the company in a precarious revenue deficit position, making it difficult to meet up with its power purchase obligations.
“For EEDC to continue providing services to its esteemed customers, it is pertinent that electricity bills, which are for energy already consumed, are paid in full.
“If this is not done, it will be difficult for the company to keep up its operations to serve customers and enhance the quality of service.
“Some of the indebted customers include Enugu State government, Ebonyi State Government, Anambra State Government, Abia State Government, Imo State Government, Innoson Technical & Industries, University of Nigeria (Enugu & Nsukka Campuses) and Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd. Others are Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police Force, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Railway Corporation, National Drug Law Enforcement, UNTH, Enugu, Ebonyi State University, Nigeria Coal Corporation Quarters, Federal Secretariat & Establishment, GMO Rubber Division, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Ebonyi State Govt. (Ecumenical Centre 1), Nigeria Prisons Training School, Central Bank of Nigeria offices, Concorde Hotel, Owerri, and Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.
“The rest are Enugu High Court, Reliable Steel & Plastic Ind. Ltd., Jilnas Industries, BENGAS Nigeria Ltd., CIFO Petroleum Ltd., STANEL Filling Station, Highlift Pumping Station, FINOC Industries Ltd., Aluminium Extrusion Industries Ltd., VIN VAL Limited, Local Government Council offices, Saint Davids Porter Nigeria Ltd., Gees Denver Company Limited, the Federal Controller of Works, Hospitals Management Board and DONLINK Plastic Industries.”
Residents of Ebonyi state have lamented the failure of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) to restore electricity supply to the state, 48 hours after the organized labour called off its industrial actions on Tuesday.
Some of the residents who spoke to The Nation in Abakaliki, the state capital, lamented that states like Enugu, Imo, and other parts of Nigeria had their light restored on Tuesday shortly after the strike was called off.
They wondered why the electricity Distribution Company is yet to restore light in the entire Ebonyi state.
The residents expressed sadness that between Monday 2nd June 2024 when the supply was cut off, and today Thursday 26th June 2024, they have lost billions of Naira and called on the relevant authorities to ensure that light is restored to the State as soon as possible.
A resident and business owner at the Abakaliki Timber Market, Mr. Chidi Ifejioba wondered why other southeast states have since gotten power supply while Ebonyi have been left out.
He said: “I don’t know if Ebonyi is not part of the States in the country, why people would always look down on us? Organized Labour called off the industrial actions on Tuesday and that same Tuesday, EEDC restored light to Enugu same day, there is Light in Imo State and other States of the country but today is Thursday, and there is no sign of light anywhere in Ebonyi state.
“Are we in Ebonyi not part of the electricity consumers? We spent thousands of naira to run the generator to remain in business and many of us who can’t cope had to shut down waiting for EEDC to restore light.
“The strike is becoming more harm than good to residents and I believe that those handling electricity supply should not join in the strike action again.
Another resident and a printer, Emeka Obiora called on the Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru to urgently intervene and ensure that EEDC restores light to the State.
“I am a printer, there are many jobs there to print and I have already collected advance payment from my customers. We had already concluded on the price believing that I would run the machine on public power supply, but now am constrained. How much fuel am I going to use to run the machine for 5 days?
“Everybody in the State is now affected. Millions are lost each day the electricity Distribution company cuts off the light, now think of cutting off the supply for 4 days. It’s so disheartening.
“The unfortunate thing is that only Ebonyi State is affected. The management of the company is not even giving us any hope or explanations.
The residents solicited the support of the State Government to urgently intervene to address the unfortunate issue before residents began to get so agitated.
Efforts to get EEDC’s Head of Communication, Emeka Ezeh’s reaction were not successful as he did not take calls or reply messages sent to him.
A customer has assaulted staff of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) in Enugu Nanka community in Orumba North local government area of Anambra State for disconnecting his electricity line over non-payment of bills.
Izuchukwu Ofojama, during the incident last Saturday, allegedly damaged the company’s vehicle while on official assignment in Enugwu-Nanka Community in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State
In a viral video seen by our correspondent, Izuchukwu told the EEDC staff not to cut his lines.
But, the DISCO officials alleged that the building has been illegally consuming electricity without paying with Izuchukwu unable to present evidence of payment upon demand by the EEDC team.
“To this, the team moved to disconnect his premises which he resisted.
“When he was eventually disconnected, he got raged and not only did he assault the EEDC officials, he used a log of wood to smash the front and rear wind shields of their vehicle along with the side mirrors.
“He also used a screwdriver to puncture the two rear tyres of the vehicle,” the spokesman of EEDC, Emeka Ezeh, narrated further in a statement on Saturday.
Ezeh also reported the President General of Nanka community, Rev. Canon Ifeanyichukwu Ezeike, made a reconciliatory move regarding the action Izuchukwu Ofojama.
He quoted the community leader to have totally condemned the act by Izuchukwu.
“The President General, in company of Onyekwere Ofojama (brother to Izuchukwu Ofojama) were at the Ekwulobia District office of EEDC to appease the company on this ugly action by Izuchukwu who has been at large after the incident.
“Ezeike described the incident as very unfortunate and unwarranted. He expressed the community’s intention to settle the matter amicably, and their commitment to repair the damages on the vehicle, reiterating that the whole community condemned the action,” Ezeh said in the statement, quoting the PG as saying “we don’t think the young man was in his right senses. The entire village and town also condemned his action.”
The duo was received at Ekwulobia District by the team from EEDC Corporate Headquarters, led by the Head of Security, Mr. Frank Ejiofor and Head of Health, Safety & Environment, Dr. Francis Iwu, along with the District Business Manager, EEDC Ekwulobia District, Jachi Umunna.
Reacting, Ejiofor frowned at situations where staff of the organization are attacked while discharging their legitimate duties and called on customers to always make use of the established complaint redress channels to express their grievances, stressing that the company does not tolerate such action by anyone or group.
He commended the community and its leadership for their stand in condemning in its entirety, the action of their kinsman while insisting that they provide him, saying that the company will stop at nothing in prosecuting anyone that assaults any of its staff on duty.
Ejiofor emphasised that the company has the highest regard for its customers and does not encourage customers resorting to violence as a way of expressing their grievances.
•Say, we bought transformers, paid for pre-paid metres, yet nothing has changed
With a population of over 100,000 people, the Umuokpo Autonomous community in Imo State, has for decades, been forced to rely on kerosene lamps and candles to carry out their evening activities, exposing them to serious health and safety risks. Despite their efforts to take matters into their own hands, including purchasing and installing transformers, the community has remained in the dark. CHRIS NJOKU explores the struggles and frustrations of the people and their determination to access their basic human right to electricity.
For 76-year-old Mrs Nneoma Okoro, the absence of electricity in her community, Umuokpo Autonomous Community in Nkume, Njaba LGA, Imo State, is a constant reminder of the struggles she has faced her entire life. She recalls the days when she had to rely on kerosene lamps and candles to light her home, often worrying about the safety of her children and grandchildren.
Umuokpo is a rural community grappling with significant environmental and infrastructural challenges. The community is plagued by severe gully erosion, which has ravaged the entire area, causing widespread damage to homes, farmland, and infrastructure. Compounding this issue, therefore, is the frequent and unpredictable power disruptions, which have left the community vulnerable to darkness and economic stagnation.
“We have been in darkness for so long,” Nneoma Okoro says, her voice laced with frustration. “We thought we had finally seen the light when we bought our transformer, but DisCo/EEDC took it over and left us in the dark again.”
Mrs Okoro’s story is just one of many in the Umuokpo Community, where the lack of electricity has become a way of life. Despite their efforts to take matters into their own hands, the community has been met with resistance and neglect from the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (DisCo/EEDC).
A community in the dark
Umuokpo Autonomous Community, like many rural communities in Nigeria, has been struggling to access basic amenities like electricity. In 2018, their transformer was vandalised, leaving them in darkness for almost three years. Despite purchasing a new transformer through individual contributions, nothing has changed, as the DisCo/EEDC simply took possession of it without compensation.
Narrating their ordeal to The Nation, one of the community leaders, Elder Okegbe Eze Cooper, explained that the community purchased two transformers at various times, with each costing nothing less than N10 million, including the cost of energizing, approvals and logistics.
“The first was purchased after long requests and delays from EEDC. We went out of our way and got one of ourselves. When the transformer was vandalised, EEDC on our invitation, sent an engineer to do the repairs with the community again bankrolling the expenses which were over N500,000 or more, including logistics. Again when the repairs failed, EEDC then came and moved it to their repair centre to investigate the fault and perhaps fix it; and I can tell you that was the last time we heard nor saw the transformer again.
“After years of demand without result, even as they continued to send the monthly bills knowing full well we had no light, we then went to the NERC which serves as the arbiter between EEDC and its customers.
“It was after this that the body ruled that EEDC should, as a matter of urgency, replace the vandalised transformer in the community; and that the entire community should be provided with prepaid meters rather than the estimated bill which was used. It also ruled that the bill of millions of naira, which was the estimated bill sent to the community when we were in total darkness, be struck out and cancelled as it could stand.
“It was after this ruling by the NERC and having waited for another year without any action from EEDC that the community went out of its way again and contributed money to get for itself another transformer at the cost of over N10 million, including energization and approvals from the same EEDC at very high cost. This, of course, is what should have been done free of charge as the court pronounced but it never was. Rather they came in again and continued the financial plunder of our poor people.”
Elder Okegbe also condemned the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) for their handling of the community’s power issues, describing the suffering in the community as “a hopeless situation.”
He expressed frustration that despite a court ruling in their favour, the company has failed to provide a transformer and prepaid meters, which the community people had to fund themselves.
The community’s efforts to fund and energize a new transformer were disregarded by EEDC, which surprised Elder Okegbe. He suggested that the company’s behaviour was a blatant disregard for the community’s efforts and wondered if they were intentionally provoking another legal battle.
Elder Okegbe’s criticism of EEDC’s actions highlights the community’s frustration and sense of abandonment. Despite their best efforts to resolve the issue, they have been met with inaction and disrespect, leaving them feeling helpless and angry.
“Honestly, the story is very pathetic. As if these were not enough, we even went ahead and paid for prepaid meters for ourselves. That’s over a year now but all we got, even as I speak, are just stories and blame games. This is despite the community’s proof of payment of N2 million.
“I paid the N2 million into account number 2030937277 of EEDC Orlu Operations on April 28, 2023.
“It is a sad one. While in Abia State, they are going from street to street, installing free prepaid meters for the people, here in Orlu, Imo State, where we have paid money, we get nothing.”
A cry for justice
The community’s representative, Chief Basil Adimora, now based in the United States, is determined to fight for his community’s rights. “We are not asking for too much; just basic electricity and fair treatment,” he says. “We want DisCo/EEDC to take responsibility for their obligations and stop exploiting our community.”
“We simply want DisCo/EEDC and their affiliates to do the right thing and take their foot off our necks, so we can breathe,” he adds. “We are not shareholders, stakeholders, or owners of DisCo/EEDC, yet we are being forced to provide infrastructure for their profit-making activities without compensation or ownership interest. It’s unfair and unjust.”
According to him, on February 3, 2024, the community sent a letter to the Managing Director of EEDC, requesting a status update on the 20 individuals who had paid for prepaid meters.
“We wrote to the Managing Director of EEDC, Enugu, requesting a status update. Out of the 20 names, 7 prepaid meters have been installed, and we are still waiting to hear about the status of the remaining 13, which is now almost six years overdue.”
The villagers have been left to fend for themselves, and they have grown accustomed to the neglect. With no one to advocate for them, they feel like they are shouting into the wind, and their cries for help are falling on deaf ears.
As a result, they have lost hope, believing that their plight will continue to be ignored, much like sheep without a shepherd.
The traditional ruler of the community, HRH Eze E.M. Iwuala, Obikaeze 11, succinctly captured the sense of despair. “It has become the norm in Nigeria for people to cry out for help without receiving any intervention,” he said, quoting an Igbo proverb. “Let us continue to cry out, not because we expect our situation to change, but so that the world may hear our voice and know our plight.”
The human cost
The lack of electricity in the Umuokpo Community has a human cost that goes beyond mere inconvenience. It affects the health, education, and economic well-being of the community members.
Mrs. Okoro’s granddaughter, Chinaza, has to study with candlelight, risking her eyesight and respiratory health. “I wish I had a proper light to study with,” she says, “but we can’t afford to buy fuel for the generator every day.”
The community’s only healthcare centre struggles to function without electricity, making it difficult for the nurses to store vaccines and medical supplies.
“We have lost precious lives due to our inability to provide proper care,” says the community’s health worker, who simply gave her name as Mrs Uche.
“We need electricity to access basic healthcare, education, and economic opportunities,” says Mrs. Uche. “We can’t afford to wait any longer.”
The lack of electricity also affects the community’s economic activities, making it difficult for them to run their businesses and sell their products.
“We can’t even power our machines to process our farm produce,” says Mr. Ike, a farmer. “We have to sell them at a loss, which affects our livelihood.”
“I have had to spend so much money on fuel for my generator to power my shop,” says Mrs Ngozi, a business owner. “It’s affecting my business and my family’s well-being.”
A call to action
The story of the Umuokpo Community is a call to action for the authorities to take responsibility for providing basic amenities to rural communities. It is a reminder that access to electricity is a fundamental human right, essential for the well-being and development of any community.
As Mrs. Okoro says, “We are not asking for too much. We just want to live a decent life with our children and grandchildren. We want to see the light.”
“We are tired of living in darkness,” says Mr. Emma Okafor, a community member. “We want electricity to power our homes, our businesses, and our lives.”
When The Nation reached out to the Network Manager, Mr Kingsley Mba, he stated that he was no longer in charge of the Orlu District and directed the reporter to contact the new manager, emphasising that government is a continuous entity.
Meanwhile, the Transformer Manager, Mr Chris Umuaka, disputed the claim that the community had been without electricity for three years, asserting that they currently have power. He added, “We didn’t disconnect them. They had light last week, so it’s incorrect to say they don’t have light.”
He also claimed to be unaware of the community’s prolonged darkness and their purchase and installation of transformers twice.
“I’m not aware of those claims. Nobody asked them to buy a transformer and take on EEDC’s responsibilities. If someone did, they should identify that person.”
Regarding the prepaid meters, the manager in charge urged the community to exercise patience, without providing any specific timeline.
Contrary to the community’s claim that 20 subscribers had paid for pre-paid meters, he said only 11 individuals had done so, out of which eight had already been installed.
He assured the community: “They should be patient and engage with EEDC. We haven’t abandoned the project; the remaining three prepaid meters are pending, and we will attend to them soon.”
The provision and installation of transformers and prepaid meters have long been a contentious issue. While many communities are left in darkness waiting for the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) to install their transformers, others have taken matters into their own hands by purchasing and installing them themselves.
According to the guidelines for transformer provision in Nigeria set by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the standard practice of Distribution Companies (DisCo)/EEDC, the ownership and responsibilities for transformers are clearly defined. Transformers are typically owned by the DisCo (EEDC), which is responsible for installing and maintaining them, including replacing faulty or vandalised ones.
Communities may be required to contribute to the cost of replacing or installing new transformers through a collective agreement with a DisCo. However, a DisCo is responsible for regular maintenance and repairs of transformers, while communities are responsible for protecting the equipment from vandalism and theft. A DisCo determines when to upgrade or replace transformers based on factors like load demand, condition and age.
Additionally, a DisCo installs and maintains prepaid meters for consumers, including those in rural communities like Umuokpo, and consumers pay electricity tariffs approved by the NERC, which includes costs for transformer maintenance and replacement. A DisCo is expected to engage with communities and address their concerns, including providing electricity access and resolving issues like transformer vandalism.
Unfortunately, many communities, driven by desperation and lack of knowledge, have taken on the burden of providing essential services like electricity, water, and roads, using their resources and effort, despite the absence of a reliable energy supply.
In contrast, other countries and regions have successfully implemented efficient and reliable electricity distribution systems, not only in their rural communities but also throughout their entire countries, minimising power outages and ensuring a stable energy supply.
For instance, Tanzania has recently shut down five hydroelectric stations to reduce excess electricity supply in the national grid, with the Mwalimu Nyerere Hydroelectric Station alone generating enough electricity to power major cities like Dar es Salaam.
Similarly, Denmark has a decentralised energy system that generates and distributes energy locally, reducing transmission losses and increasing efficiency.
The United States has implemented advanced weather forecasting and predictive maintenance to enhance grid resilience, while Costa Rica has invested heavily in renewable energy sources like hydroelectric power, wind and geothermal energy; reducing reliance on fossil fuels and minimising power outages.
Australia, on its part, has implemented energy storage solutions like batteries and pumped hydro storage to stabilise the grid and ensure a reliable energy supply, while Japan has microgrid systems that can operate independently of the main grid during outages, using local energy sources like solar and wind power.
On the other hand, Singapore has a highly efficient electricity distribution system with a robust grid that minimises power outages, and Germany has smart grids that manage energy distribution efficiently, predicting energy demand and adjusting supply accordingly.
These examples demonstrate that with the right investments and policies in Nigeria, it is possible to provide efficient and reliable electricity distribution systems in rural communities, minimizing power outages and ensuring a stable energy supply.
And with that, communities like Umuokpo would never have to go through the deplorable situations they claim to have been going through.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has given the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) an ultimatum to improve its electricity supply in the Southeast or face the consequences.
In a statement issued by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful, IPOB accused EEDC of “defrauding her consumers with exorbitant electricity bills without supplying the power.
“The company has refused to give her consumers prepaid electricity meters but keeps giving illegal estimated bills,” the statement said.
“In many communities in the Southeast, EEDC gives community bills running in hundreds of thousands of naira. Whether the light was provided or not, any village that didn’t pay the illegal estimated bills will have the irregular light supply disconnected.”
IPOB also alleged that EEDC had dismantled some community transformers for repairs and maintenance but failed to return them for years, leaving the communities in darkness.
“Emeka Offor and his company EEDC have their cup full, and we are going to show them that the people are the owners of the region, and they are reaping Ndigbo off with abysmal power supply and exorbitant bills.
“How can our people be paying for lights they did not consume? How wicked is EEDC and its management?” ,” the statement said.
IPOB called on EEDC to provide adequate electricity supply or exit the Southeast region, warning that it would “chase EEDC out” if the company failed to meet its demands.
“We will welcome any company that will invest in power generation and distribution to quicken the industrialization and development of the Southeast. “But if they continue with the abysmal light supply in the Southeast, IPOB will have no option than to shut down EEDC offices in the Southeast in the shortest possible time.”
Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) has announced cut over to its new vending system, SuperEdge, following successful rollover last Saturday, in readiness for the STS prepaid meter upgrade.
EEDC customers, who were unable to recharge their meters during the rollover period because of the vending platform, which was shut down, can now purchase tokens and upgrade their meters.
This development was contained in a statement by the Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Emeka Ezeh.
He said with the completion of the rollover, the first token purchase by customers will come with the Key Change Tokens (KCTs) needed to upgrade the meters. These are three sets of 20-digit tokens, which the customers are expected to punch into their meters.
According to him, the first 20 digits will be punched into the meter after which the customer should press the “enter” button; the same should be done for the second 20 digits and the third 20 digits, to have the meter upgraded.
He urged customers, who might have earlier purchased tokens yet to be loaded onto their meters, to endeavour to load them before administering the three sets of 20-digit tokens, as once the meter is upgraded, such tokens will no longer be accepted by the meter.
Ezeh said prepaid meter upgrade is compulsory for customers using STS compliant prepaid meters and the meters are expected to have been upgraded by November 24, 2024.
He said the exercise is free, adding that it does not affect postpaid and standalone customers.
