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Tag: EEDC

  • Upgrade of STS prepaid meter  is free, says EEDC

    Upgrade of STS prepaid meter  is free, says EEDC

    Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) has cautioned customers against falling victim to fraudsters, noting that the planned upgrade of STS prepaid meters in its network will be free of charge.

    This clarification was made yesterday in Enugu by the Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh.

    He said the warning became necessary because of information received by the company about activities of some unscrupulous elements, who are extorting unsuspecting customers in the name of upgrading their meters.

    He said customers should not “fall prey to these elements, as no customer will be charged a kobo to have his or her meter upgraded.”

    “The process of upgrade will be simply by punching into the meter the Key Change Tokens (KCT), which will be given to the customers alongside the credit token, when they go to recharge their meters.

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    “What we just did, as a matter of responsibility, was to notify our customers of this exercise and appeal to them to ensure their prepaid meters are upgraded before November 24, 2024,” Ezeh said.

    Earlier in the month, EEDC notified customers that by November 24, 2024, Standard Transfer Specification (STS) prepaid meters will cease to accept credit tokens, unless they are upgraded. An exercise, which will affect STS compliant prepaid meters across the globe.

    Ezeh therefore advised EEDC customers to ensure their meters are upgraded before the set date of November 24, 2024, as meters not upgraded before the date will no longer accept new tokens, but they will still be working till the credit already loaded in them is used up.

    “It is important to note that credit tokens purchased and not loaded into the meters before the upgrade will become invalid after the upgrade,” he added.

    EEDC appealed to its customers to remain calm, as adequate communication will be made on the process and modalities for the upgrade, reiterating that the upgrade is free of charge.

  • EEDC sensitises schools, churches

    As part of efforts to enlighten its customers and bridge the existing knowledge and communication gap, the Enugu Electricity Distribution PLC (EEDC) has taken its sensitisation campaign to Schools and Churches within its coverage area.

    This was made known to by the Head of Communications, EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh.

    Ezeh said that the initiative is in furtherance with the organisation’s resolve to ensure its customers are better informed of its operations and the dymanics of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

    He also said that the exercise allows it the opportunity to ensure customers are well equipped with the relevant safety measures and rules to observe within their immediate environment.

    So far, some of the schools visited include: Spring of Life International Schools, Independence Layout, Enugu; Graceland College, GRA, Enugu; Nike Grammar School, Enugu; Government Secondary School, Enugu; St. Patrick’s Secondary School, Emene; St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Emene, Enugu; Gateway Secondary School, Trans Ekulu, Enugu, to mention but a few.

    On the other hand, some of the churches visited include: St. Mulumba Catholic Church, New Haven, Enugu; St. Peters Anglican Church, Emene; All Saints Catholic Church, Ibagwa Nike, Enugu; Mater Dei Catholic Church, New GRA, Enugu; Assumption Parish Nkwo Nike, Enugu; St. Jude’s Anglican Church, Oraifite, Anambra State; St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Uruagu, Nnewi, Anambra State, among numerous others as the exercise is still ongoing.

    Read also: EEDC commences upgrade of injection sub-stations in Enugu, Awka

    Ezeh said that this engagement is timely, as the rains are here and always come with windstorm, and those reached so far can better apply these safety knowledge imbibed during our engagements during this period.

    The decision to target schools is hinged on our belief in “catching them young”, noting that majority of our adults already have a poor orientation about electricity operations and usage, hence, the need to start with the children so as to build a better and safer nation.

    “We value our customers and care about their wellbeing. We need them to be alive to be able to use electricity and not to be used by electricity” Ezeh said.

    EEDC emerged overall first position in the 2018 cumulative Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) Safety ranking – a testament of sustainable safety practices which EEDC has consciously and consistently instilled in her staff and customers through the various trainings and enlightenment programmes.

  • Fire razes fabrics shop, destroys goods worth millions in Anambra

    Anambra State Fire Service says it averted the late Tuesday night fire incident that destroyed goods worth millions of Naira from spreading to other shops in Awka.

    Mr. Martin Agbili, state Director of the Service told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday that the incident consumed all the fabrics, machines and working tools in the shop but no life was lost.

    Agbili said that the cause of the fire outbreak was yet unknown, as no trace to the cause was detected at the time of fighting the incident and the owner was not available to give a clue.

    “On arrival at the scene, lots of damage have been done in the shop and the owner was not around to give details of what happened,’’ he said.

    Miss Cynthia Nwosu, an eye witness and a neighbor to the shop gutted by fire, told NAN that the incident occurred when electricity was restored.

    “Mr Ade Mohammad is owner of the Ade Fabrics shop and had closed for the day before the restoration of electricity that led to the incident.

    “Immediately EEDC restored the electricity, something busted inside the shop and there was smoke. I put out a call to Mohammed who rushed to the scene.

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    “On arrival, he broke the window to enter the shop, but the flame was too much, so we used sand, detergent and water to put it off but we were overwhelmed by the fire.

    “Another neighbor then put a call across to the fire service officer, whose timely intervention saved the fire from entering into nearby shops,’’ she said.

    Nwosu noted that Mohammed had lost property worth millions of Naira because the fabrics and the industrial machines he used for his business were many.

    She alleged that electric surge must have been the cause of the fire outbreak as it happened when electricity was restored with a sound from inside the shop.

    Another neighbor, Mrs Chiamaka Ikejiofor, owner of an electronic shop under the building, said she heard loud voices and on coming out, she saw that her neighbor’s shop was being destroyed by fire.

    Ikejiofor thanked God that no live was lost and appealed to EEDC to install electric gadgets that would control power before distributing it, as the cause of the inferno must have been over power surge.

    Mr Tony Ibe, one of the sympathizers advised electricity consumers to always be careful in handling electrical appliances.

    “If electricity users unplug electric appliances not in use, such incident will be averted,’’ he said.

    Mohammed, who could not quantify the cost of what was lost, said that he used a generator set to carry out his business and switched it off at the end of the business day, and as such could not link the fire outbreak to any electrical fault.

    He thanked God that no live was lost and expressed happiness over the quick intervention of the fire fighters.

  • UNN sets record of electricity generation with organic waste

    The University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) on Tuesday set the record of electricity generation by using organic waste to install 100KVA Refuse Drived Fuel (RDF) gasification plant for its Nsukka Campus.

    Prof Benjamin Ozumba, UNN Vice-Chancellor, who expressed happiness over the project during its inauguration, said the university would no longer be a customer to Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC).

    He said the project was first of its kind in Nigeria and described it as another feather added to the cap of the institution.

    “I am happy that the university under my watch has witnessed innovations and transformation, as today another feather has been added to the cap of my administration.

    “This is the first of its kind in the country, using of waste to generate electricity.

    “By the time more of the plants are produced that will cover every part of the university, millions of naira will be saved every month, as UNN will longer pay monthly electricity bill to EEDC, ” he said.

    The VC also commended Prof Emenike Ejiogu-led research team that produced the RDF gas plant.

    Ejiogu from the Department of Electrical Engineering applauded Ozumba on his belief of making record-breaking innovations to transform UNN.

    “The 100 KVA RDF project is designed and fabricated by laboratory of industrial power devices and energy system under special grant by Ozumba.

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    “The aim is to enable UNN to generate its own electricity with organic waste that will serve as fuel,” he said.

    The Japan-trained engineer said his research team was set to produce 250KVA plants, which will supply the energy need of the entire university and its environ.

    “UNN power demand now is 3mgwats, so with twelve 250KVA of RDF plants, we will meet electricity supply need of the university,” he said.

    He said on request, his research team was ready to install the RDF plants to any individual, company or office who needed it.

    “It is cheaper and can carry more loads than solar energy installation.

    “With RDF plant in your house or office, it will carry your air-condition, deep freezers, pressing iron and other things in your house, office or company,” he said.

    Ejiogu listed some of the organic waste that could be used as waste materials to power the plant to include: agricultural byproducts such as corn husks, wood chips among others.

    He said the plant would create employment for many people through supplying of waste to UNN or other people who would be using the plant,” he said.

    Some UNN staff in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) described the innovation as one of the greatest legacies of Ozumba.

    NAN

  • EEDC disconnects erring subscribers

    In compliance with the directive issued by the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) to Distribution Companies (DISCOs), instructing them to disconnect power supply to all structures, buildings and premises that are in violation of the Power line Right-of-way (ROW), the Enugu Electricity Distribution PLC (EEDC) has commenced disconnection of erring properties within its network.

    This development was made known to newsmen in Enugu by the Head, Communications, EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh.

    Ezeh said that EEDC is in full liaison with relevant government agencies to ensure this directive is carried out effectively. “We have been disconnecting properties identified within our network to be in violation, and working closely with relevant government agencies, some of these structures have been demolished”.

    The power line right-of-way is the mapped out corridor for distribution and transmission power lines. As a precautionary safety measure, these mandatory clearance levels are to be observed and adhered to by members of the public when putting up structures.

    Sometime last year, EEDC issued a release advising her customers and the general public against putting up structures and carrying out business activities within power line right-of-way.

    The distribution company equally enumerated the various power lines and their respective clearance levels. For instance, 11 meters is to be observed on 11KV and 33KV lines (that is 5.5 meters on both sides); while 30 meters is observed on 132 KV line (that is 15 meters on both sides) and 50 meters observed on 330KV line (that is 25 meters on both sides).

    Ezeh also said that EEDC has applied various communication medium in sensitising its customers on the need to be safety conscious by observing these clearance levels.

    “We frown at the indiscriminate manner structures are erected within electricity right-of-way and warn our customers to desist from this hazardous behaviour”.

    “Also, we have situations where ornamental and economic trees are planted under or very close to our High and Low Tension lines, thereby interfering with the electricity network, causing intermittent tripping. These trees also pose high risk of electrocution.”

    Ezeh went ahead to  mention that there are situations where electricity lines sag or snap, and if the specified clearance level is not observed, lives of people living within the area will be exposed to possible electrocution.

  • EEDC to customers: we need your support

    To sustain and further improve on the feat attained in the year 2018, the Enugu Electricity Distribution (EEDC) has called on its customers for more support and partnership as the year 2019 advances.

    The call was contained in a release issued by the Head of Communications, EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh during the week.

    Ezeh expressed appreciation to customers for their support, understanding and overall partnership with the company in the course of the year, despite the numerous challenges that adversely impacted on the quality of service delivery to customers.

    Some of the recurring challenges which the company grappled with were: vandalism, energy theft, accidental destruction of power facilities, meter bypass, illegal connections and reconnections.

    Others include: non-payment of electricity bills, attack on EEDC field officers and illegal tampering with electrical installations which interfere with the network and in most cases lead to destruction of electrical facilities.

    “Following series of engagements with customers, EEDC identified areas of focus and mapped out strategic plans to address them;  such as upgrade of some transformers and relieving overloaded ones; installation of entirely new substations; overhauling some weak networks for quality electricity supply.

    There are also plans to deload some feeders and construct more injection substations to boost electricity supply in identified locations within the network.

    As a matter of fact, contract has been awarded for the construction of a 7.5MVA Injection Substation at ABS, Awka, which will cater for customers within ABS environs, Okpuno, Enugu Agidi, Awka Urban, Zik Avenue and parts of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka,” the statement disclosed.

    Also approved was the upgrade of Agu Awka Injection Substation from 7.5MVA to 15MVA. Order has been placed for the power transformer which is expected to be delivered hopefully before the end of the month. This will improve supply to customers at Agu Awka, industrial Area, Amansea, Nkwere Awka, Ifite Awka, Nnamdi Azikiwe University permanent site and its environs.

    The management of the company has equally engaged the services of some private contractors to facilitate repair of faulty transformers, thereby shortening the downtime periods experienced in the network.

    Ezeh equally said that the asset registration and customer enumeration exercise was still ongoing and appealed for maximum cooperation with enumerators, as the exercise is aimed at making EEDC more efficient in providing quality service to customers.

    “All these efforts cannot be effectively actualised without the support and cooperation of our esteemed customers.

    Improved electricity supply in the Southeast will translate to improved business and socio economic activities; and to achieve this, EEDC is soliciting continued support of her stakeholders and customers,” Eze added.

  • Fire razes family apartment days to mum’s burial

    Property worth millions of naira were on Saturday, reportedly lost to an inferno that gutted a bungalow in Agbana community, Umuawulu in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra state.

    The disaster was said to have left family members in agony as they were planning the burial of their late mother when it happened.

    Speaking to newsmen at the scene of the incident, the victims, Anthonia Nwoye and Cyril Nweke, attributed the cause of the incident to high voltage.

    “We suspect that the fire was caused by high voltage because it suddenly sparked off shortly after the EEDC restored power,” Nweke said.

    He said the building was recently renovated for the upcoming burial ceremony, appealing for urgent support from relevant authorities and spirited Nigerians.

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    Reacting, the traditional ruler of Umuawulu, Igwe Joel Egwuonwu, thanked God that no life was lost to the inferno.

    He however regretted that the fire destroyed the family’s hope of livelihood, saying their documents, life time investment were lost to the inferno.

    When contacted, the Director of State Fire Service, Mr. Martin Agbili who sympathized with the victims over the incident, underscored the need for residents to always be at alert to fire incidences.

  • EEDC urges landlords to ensure tenants clear electricity bills

    The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company has appealed to landlords, caretakers and agents of property to ensure that their out-going tenants clear all electricity bills before leaving the house.

    EEDC Head of Communication Mr Emeka Ezeh made the appeal while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu yesterday.

    Ezeh noted that the appeal became necessary as some tenants had made it a habit to pass the bulk of their unpaid bills to new, unsuspecting tenants to settle.

    He also called on in-coming tenants to ensure that the new apartment or property they were moving into “is not  indebted to the company.”

    “Tenants moving into new property should ensure they are duly registered and not indebted to EEDC.

    “This is to avoid inheriting unpaid electricity bills and being disconnected as a result.

    “Landlords are to ensure tenants clear accumulated electricity bills before vacating their property to avoid passing unpaid bills to incoming tenants,’’ he said.

    According to him, members of the public can make further enquire about settlement of bills by calling 084700100 or log in www.enugudisco.com.

  • Police arrest suspected cable vandal in Enugu

    The Enugu State Police Command has arrested a suspected electricity transformer cable vandal, who has been operating for months within Enugu metropolis.

    The Command’s spokesman, SP Ebere Amaraizu, said on Friday in Enugu that the suspect, one Chizoba Akam, was specialized in the vandalism of electricity transformer and selling its cables and parts to his cohorts.

    Amaraizu noted that the suspect was nabbed by police operatives of the Trans Ekulu Division of the command on July 24 at about 5:30 a.m.

    He said that the police recovered vandalized transformer armoured cables and other transformer parts from the suspect.

    “It was gathered that the suspect, Chizoba Akam, who claimed that he is from New Artisan Market, Enugu, was nabbed by police operatives on early morning routine patrol with armoured cables stocked inside a sack bag and with a view to beat security check.

    “It was further gathered that the suspected notorious vandal is an indigene of Igbeagu Town in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

    He said, “the intermediate cables was vandalized from Mrs Obiekwe Sub-station of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) at Ugbene in Enugu East LGA.’’

    The police spokesman noted that the command’s Criminal Intelligence and Investigations Department (CIID) had commenced investigation of the matter.

  • Crazy bills: Lagos communities storm court with N50m suit

    Residents of four Lagos communities stormed the Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday to challenge excessive billing.

    They prayed the court to declare the alleged estimated billing by the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) as illegal.

    The claimants said EEDC’s failure to provide them with pre-paid meters has resulted in arbitrary and excessive billing, adding that those who refused to pay are disconnected and forced to pay reconnection fees.

    They alleged extortion and daylight robbery by EEDC.

    They also claimed that oral and written complaints made at the company’s head office were not acknowledged.

    The communities are praying for an order directing EEDC to distribute pre-paid meter to all of them, as well as an order of perpetual injunction restraining the firm from issuing bills to any consumer in the communities without prepaid meter.

    The protesters, numbering over 300, besieged the court’s premises at about 7:30 a.m. for the hearing of suit filed on their behalf by a rights activist, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya.

    The affected communities are Alaba-Oro, Mosafejo Amukoko, Abule Kere and Olaniyonu.

    The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is joined as defendant in the suit.