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Tag: EEDC

  • EEDC loses N15m to Aba power outage

    EEDC loses N15m to Aba power outage

     Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has lost over N15million to power outage, following equipment failure at the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), which has thrown Aba, Abia into darkness.

    Chukwuemeka Eze, Head, Communications, EEDC, made this known in an interview with the Newsmen in Aba on Thursday.

    He explained that the blackout happened on Saturday, February 10, following a Circuit Breaker failure at TCN, Aba station.

    He said that the Circuit Breaker failure had caused the disconnection of some EEDC feeders in Aba resulting in the blackout being experienced in most parts of the commercial city since Saturday.

    Read Also:Vandalism: EEDC  secures conviction, remand of offenders

    Eze said that the failure affected 91 transformers causing power outage in most parts of Aba for more than a week now.

    He noted that the affected transformers were located in areas within Aba North, Aba South and Obingwa Local Government Areas.

    According to him, areas most affected were Ogbor Hill, Housing Estate, Ehere, Akwarandu, Ikot Ekpene road and New Phase of Umuobe.

    Eze noted that all the affected customers being served from the EEDC’s IGI 33KV and Opobo Road 11KV Feeders are out of supply now.

    He, however, said the Circuit Breaker failure was getting urgent attention to ensure timely restoration of electricity to the affected customers.

    Eze said the company regretted the inconveniences the disruption had caused its customers and assured them of speedy re-connection once the problem was solved.

    NAN

     

  • TCN says efforts on to repair Awka transmission station

    TCN says efforts on to repair Awka transmission station

    The Transmission Company of Nigeria ( TCN ) says the transmission station in Agu-Awka, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra is being repaired to restore power supply to the state capital.

    The fault has thrown the state capital and its environs into darkness for over one month.

    Mr Abdulkareem Labaran, the Assistant General Manager (Operations) in Enugu office of TCN said on Tuesday in Awka that repairs were already on in the transmission station.

    Labaran appealed to electricity consumers in the areas affected by the blackout for more time and gave an assurance that engineers were working round the clock to restore the station to normalcy.

    Read also: PPA promises to link up Awka North communities

    He said the problem was not vandalism-related but normal technical issue.

    Labaran, however, did not give a specific time within which the repairs work would be concluded.

    “Work is going on and we are monitoring the development. I am sure in the shortest time the whole thing will be over.

    “I cannot give you a definite time because it is a technical issue. In fact, we ought to have completed it last week but as we were about finishing, another problem developed.

    “We are appealing that they give us more time. Our men are there working round the clock and throughout the week.

    “It is a peculiar case because the transformer is a mobile one and what they are working on is inbuilt unlike the other normal ones.

    “Where the spare parts are not available, our men apply ingenuity by fabricating,’’ he said.

    The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company ( EEDC ), however, exonerated itself from being responsible for the outage in the area.

    Mr Chukwuemeka Ezeh, the Head of EEDC Communication Department told NAN that the power outage experienced in Awka was as a result of a breaker fault at the TCN Station, Awka.

    “This affected supply to our Agu Awka Injection Substation, which feeds Awka and other neighbouring towns.

    “It is important to stress that this is not EEDC’s fault but that of TCN,’’ he said.

    Reports say that a team of engineers were seen working on the faulty transmission station when visited on Tuesday.

    NAN

  • Imo Assembly passes 41 bills, 114 resolutions in 2 years

    Imo Assembly passes 41 bills, 114 resolutions in 2 years

    The Imo House of Assembly said it passed 41 of the 116 bills presented on its floor in the last two years.

    The Speaker of the House, Mr Iheanacho Ihim, disclosed this in a statement in Owerri on Friday.

    Ihim said 114 motions were also passed as resolutions out of the 120 presented at the same period.

    He noted that other bills yet to be passed were at various stages in the house.

    He explained that “notable among the bills presented in 2017 was the bill for a law providing assistance to privately owned schools and offering free education in the state.

    “Others include a bill for a law prohibiting Female Genital Mutilation which was read for the 3rd time on the floor of the house in March.”

    He said that the house also initiated the process for the domestication of the Violence Against Persons Act in the state during the period.

    Read also: Assembly fails to pass local government autonomy bill

    “A bill for a law to allocate 10 percent of the state revenue to the Ministry of Youth and Sports for sustainable youth empowerment was also presented and advanced to committee stage.

    “In May, a bill to provide legal backing to awards and recognition of worthy citizens of Nigeria and international figures was presented and read for the 2nd time by the former majority leader of the house, Mr Lugard Osuji.

    “The house also conducted public screening of appointees before their confirmation for transparency.

    “As part of our oversight functions, the house also intervened in the gully erosion menace in Obowo local government area, visiting the site and making recommendations on how to tackle the problem,’’ Ihim said.

    He said that the house also waded into the issue of poor power supply in the state, querying the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company ( EEDC ) in Orlu over the six years power outage in the area.

    “The house also dealt with issues of non compliance with its directives following resolutions passed at plenary among others,’’ he said.

    NAN

  • Over 200 transformers vandalised in Anambra, says EEDC official

    Over 200 transformers vandalised in Anambra, says EEDC official

    No fewer than 200 transformers were vandalised by hoodlums between January and November in Anambra, an official of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), has said.

    Mr Samuel Onuoha, the Network Manager, EEDC, Awka, disclosed while addressing a group of protesters who stormed the EEDC office in Awka on Monday.

    Onuoha, who noted the company had zero tolerance for vandalism of its installations, said 50 transformers were vandalised in Nnewi; 30 in Awka; over 100 in Onitsha and six in Ekwulobia districts within the period.

    “There are different levels of vandalism; some go for oil and different types of cables and some remove the feeder pillar units, among others.

    “The vandalism escalated in the Ember Months; we cannot continue to run business like that,” Onuoha stated, adding that six cases of vandalism were currently at different levels of prosecution in the state.

    However, the network manager said the company had commenced replacement of vandalised facilities across the South-East geo-political zone, urging residents and community leaders to protect their transformers.

    He also urged them to report cases of vandalism to the office or the nearest police station.

    “What we do in EEDC is also a business that involves buying and selling; so anything affecting our inability to distribute electricity is also affecting our income,” he stressed.

    Read Also: EEDC expresses worry over forged bills

    Onuoha assured the protesters that the company would fix their vandalised transformer by Wednesday.

    He appealed to them to show understanding, noting that the company was collaborating with security agencies and community leaders to minimise vandalism of its installations.

    Earlier, residents of Odeagba and Arthur Eze Street business owners took to the streets and later disrupted business activities at EEDC office for two hours to demonstrate power outage for 14 months.

    Mr Amaechi Okeke, Chairman Arthur Eze Business Association, who led the protest, said since October 2016 when the Arthur Eze one sub-station/transformer was vandalised, the area had been without power supply.

    “Despite several appeals to EEDC, we have been left in darkness for long and this has affected us tremendously since then,” Okeke said.

  • Man electrocuted while vandalising substation

    Man electrocuted while vandalising substation

    An unidentified man was electrocuted while attempting to vandalize 100KVA Substation, the property of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), located at Emene Industrial Layout.

    It was gathered that the vandal probably arrived at the substation when there was no supply and in the process of loosening the HV fuse, supply was restored and he was electrocuted.

    Items recovered from the victim were a spanner, torch and a plyer.
    According to a statement by the Head of Communications of EEDC, Emeka Ezeh, his remains were evacuated to UNTH, Ituku Ozalla morgue by the Police from Emene Division.

    In a related development, two suspects identified as Amaechi Akpu and Chigbo Ejebu were apprehended by youths of Onuore Agba community, Ebonyi State for vandalizing a 300KVA Substation, property of EEDC located in the Community.

    Members of Abor vigilante group also arrested a vandal identified as Emmanuel Izunna for vandalising 500KVA Igwe Umuenyiora 2 Substations located in Ogbunike, Anambra State.

  • EEDC expresses worry over forged bills

    EEDC expresses worry over forged bills

    The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has expressed worry over increasing report of some fraudulent individuals forging its bills for account opening purpose.

    The Head, Communications of EEDC, Mr Emeka Ezeh, said this known in a statement on Tuesday in Enugu.

    He therefore called on banks and other financial institutions to consult it in the verification of electricity bills used in their transactions as proof of address.

    Ezeh said the call became necessary to stop a situation where marketers of the company were detained by the police on alleged fraud involving forged bills that bore their names and phone numbers.

    According to him, EEDC will not be liable if any criminal or fraudulent activity is perpetrated with any forged electricity bill not cleared with the company.

    Read Also:Judges, AEDC move to curtail electricity theft

    “We just recorded three of such cases in Aba, there is every possibility that this is also happening unnoticed at other locations within our franchise area.

    “To check this growing negative trend, we appeal to banks to be cautious and ensure they carry out extensive check and verification of any EEDC electricity bill tendered for account opening purpose as proof of address,’’ he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that as part of initiatives geared toward ensuring customer satisfaction, EEDC has modified its electricity bill to wear a new look from September.

    The additional features in the A5 sized electricity bill include a summary of previous balance; last payment made by the customer and a barcode which is a security feature.

    Other features are details of feeder and transformer serving the customer; name and phone number of the marketer in-charge as well as pictorial representation of customer’s meter reading.

    Read : EEDC to provide customers with meters

  • Enugu electricity firm to reveal identities of energy thieves

    Enugu electricity firm to reveal identities of energy thieves

    The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) said on Saturday it would henceforth publish the list of individuals and companies caught stealing electricity.

    The Head, Communications of EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, who disclosed this in a statement in Enugu, said the decision is aimed at addressing the increasing rate of electricity theft.

    Ezeh said the management of EEDC decided to expose any individual or group stealing electricity for the public to read and see.

    He said the publication would be after service of the statutory fine, loss of revenue and handing over the thieves to law enforcement agents for prosecution.

    He said: “To tackle this menace, we have set up a special taskforce to monitor and carry out routine check on our customers to fish out those engaging in this criminal act.

    “It is quite disappointing that customers who are neck-dip in this activity are the high energy users.

    “This is a big challenge to us as a business and we can’t afford to treat this with kid gloves any longer, else it will drown the entire business.

    “A situation where some individuals feel it is their right to use electricity without paying for it has to stop.

    “This singular act contributes largely to the issues faced by the electricity service industry in the country.

    “The customers were, therefore, encouraged to report any one engaging in this act to the nearest EEDC office or “call our Whistle Blowing line (084 700 110) to report such persons.

    “This act, where the perpetrators fraudulently use electricity supply without paying for it is highly prevalent in the South-East and has seen EEDC consistently loose average of 43 per cent of its revenue monthly.

    “This activity is negatively impacting its business and is quite discouraging.”

    NAN

     

  • Aba landlords petition Enugu Disco over crazy bills

    The landlords in the commercial city of Aba have petitioned against the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, (EEDC), over what they described as crazy bills including forcing consumers to repair damaged electric transformers.

    They accused the EEDC of enslaving Aba residents with estimated and spurious bills, alleging also that the company uses security personnel, including Army, Police and members of Civil Defence Corp “to compel the residents to pay for blackout”.

    In a petition submitted to the Abia State House of Assembly, which recently passed a vote of no confidence of the EEDC, the Landlords said the company was frustrating the business community of Aba.

    In the petition which they have earlier submitted to the National Assembly, Aba Landlords also accused the company of deliberately refusing to install prepaid meters for Aba consumers.

    The landlords said, “So we want to create avenue to stop them from charging us with estimated bills to meet up with their monthly target, hence the people pay more for electricity consumption than we pay for house rents”.

    The petition said, “Enugu has prepaid meters, Anambra has standard meters which are read and bills given accordingly, Abia must be so”.

    “We want the Abia House of Assembly to compel EEDC to stop the use of force, high handedness and intimidation of the poor, innocent and civil citizens of Aba”.

    The landlords also urged the House to ask the company “to refund the entire excess bill to the respective consumers and to refund 12 months payment to all consumers and return all cables they cut and carted away from Consumers.

    Receiving the petition, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Chikwendu Kalu commended the landlords for speaking out on what they are passing through in the hands of the company, saying that the matter of the activities of the company is before the House.

    The Speaker said, “EEDC has failed; there is no doubt about it. They have failed woefully; there is no way we can move forward without power and organizations like EEDC cannot provide this. We have not gotten it right”.

    Kanu said that the House is planning to have an interface with the regulatory body, NERC, to mount pressure on them to find out if EEDC has met its mandate and if they have not, the regulatory body should think of revoking the license.

     

  • Court orders EEDC to pay man N.9m in overcharges

    An Abia State High Court sitting at Umuahia has ordered the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) to pay a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Benjamin Benedict Apugo the sum of N996,426 being the sum over charged him by the electricity company for fixed charges and energy charges.

    The order was sequel to suit No. HU/240/2014 instituted by the claimant (Apugo) against the defendant (EEDC), stating that the defendant breached in a contract it entered with him on November 11, 2013 as par installation of 3-phase pre-paid metre.

    The claimant also stated in the suit that the fixed charges and energy charges the defendant made him to pay was arbitrary and urged the court to revise it and for the defendant to refund the excesses collected from him.

    After listening to the submissions of counsel to the claimant, Chief O.O Amuzie and that of the defendant, Justice Amanze Chikwendu Chima in his ruling observed that the defendant was in breach of the contract it entered with the claimant on November 11, 2013 as par installation of 3-phase pre-paid meter.

    The Judge ruled that the defendant was only entitled to bill or charges the claimant for fixed charges and energy charges in accordance with the Multi-Year-Tariff Order 2 as revised and approved by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in accordance with the Electricity Power Sector Reform Act 2005.

    While ordering the defendant to install 3-phase pre-paid meter for the claimant and stop further arbitrary charges on the claimant, the court also ordered the defendant to pay/refund the claimant the sum of N996, 426:02k being the sum over charged him for fixed charges and energy charges.

    Meanwhile, apparently irked by the persistent irregular power supply and outrageous monthly bills to electricity users in the state, the Abia State House of Assembly has passed a vote of no confidence on the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC).

    The House also summoned the State Chairman of National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to appear before it on May 2 when it will reconvene after the Easter holiday.

    According to reports, the NERC state chairman was summoned to explain to the lawmakers during its executive session on said date with the view of briefing them on the way forward concerning reported ugly activities of the EEDC in the state.

    The Deputy Speaker and member representing Bende North State Constituency, Sir Cosmos Ndukwe in a matter of urgent public importance on the mindless extortion by the EEDC and a petition by a widow who accused the company of exposing her to untold hardship through outrageous bills lamented that the electricity distribution company has been exploiting Abians who pay for services that wasn’t rendered by the company.

    Ndukwe prayed the house to summon the authorities of the electricity distribution company for southeast to give answers to questions arising from their activities.

    Some of the lawmakers including member representing Arochukwu State Constituency, Elder Luke Ukaronyeani, Bishop Kennedy Njoku from Osisioma State constituency, Martins Azubuike of Isiala Ngwa North State constituency, Solomon Akpulonu of Osisioma State Constituency, Comrade Chibuzo Okogbue amongst others backed the Deputy Speaker’s position.

    They stated that it was time the company was called to order over what they described as the company’s incompetency to distribute power effectively across the state and issue consumers with bills that corresponds with their monthly consumptions.

    The speaker, Mr. Chikwendu Kalu noted that the house had few weeks ago passed a resolution on the ugly activities of the EEDC and regretted that the company hasn’t done anything to retrace its step

    Kalu in his speech said the continued issuance of estimated bills and indiscriminate disconnection of peoples’ power supply by the EEDC staff was illegal.

    According to the speaker, the public has the right to arrest EEDC staff who attempted to disconnect electricity supply to their homes when there wasn’t any supply of electricity to their homes.

    The house adjourned sitting and proceeded on Easter holiday to reconvene on the second day of May where they are expecting NERC state chairman to appear before it.

    It could be recalled that the level of electricity distribution in Aba, the commercial hub of the state is a far cry from the expectations of organizations, Small and medium Scale industrialists who are the most populated group in Aba and has also has affected the cost of production as many organizations rely on generator to power their equipment whose cost of maintenance and fueling is a big burden on the company.

  • EEDC to recruit 2,000 by next month

    The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has announced plans to recruit 2,000 workers by the end of the year, as part of its restructuring.

    Its Head of Communications, Mr. Emeka Eze, said in a statement that the figure would bring the staff strength to 4,000.

    He said the company would first recruit 1,000 technicians and increase the number to 2,000 by the end of the year.

    Eze said the company “is focused on flattening its structure by identifying and eliminating redundant levels and replacing them with more people at operation levels, thereby ensuring it has enough manpower to attend to the rising needs of its esteemed customers.’’

    He said the restructure included changes in its executive management as well as re-evaluation of its staffing policy to ensure efficiency in its processes and operations.

    Eze said the company recently completed a comprehensive organisational restructure to realign its strategies, direction and priorities, to achieve its target loss reduction, improve network reliability and customer service.

    “Consequently, Mr. Robert Dickerman has stepped down as the managing director/chief executive officer of EEDC effective October 27, 2016.

    “Mr. Srinivas Jayaraman, who was until recently the deputy managing director/chief operating officer, has been appointed as the acting managing director/chief executive officer of the company,’’ he said.

    Eze described Jayaraman as a power sector professional with more than 38 years of experience.