The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency

  • EEDC is number one

    The Enugu Electricity Distribution PLC (EEDC) emerged overall first position in the 2018 cumulative Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) safety ranking.

    This is a testament of sustainable safety practices which EEDC has consciously and consistently instilled in her staff and customers through the various trainings and enlightenment programs.

    NEMSA is an agency of government responsible for ensuring safety of lives and property in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

    EEDC moved from the fifth position which it occupied in the 2016 ranking to first position in the 2017 ranking; and has jealously retained the first position in the 2018 ranking.

    The result of the ranking was released in a presentation by the Managing Director/CEO, NEMSA and Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation, Engr. Peter O. Esewor.

    It was gathered from the report that in the course of the year under review, EEDC consistently maintained the first position in eight out of twelve months, this underscores the passion and conscious effort put in by management of the EEDC in ensuring that safety rules are strictly adhered to, and safe environment consistently maintained.

    The criteria used for the ranking ranges from, fatalities (that is the number of deaths within the network), major injuries as well as network resolved.

    In the report, NEMSA charged the distribution companies to intensify effort in rectifying defective networks to prevent electrical accidents and reduce technical losses. They are equally expected to intensify effort in enlightening and educating the general public on the need for extreme caution with the use of electricity.

    According to the Head of Health, Safety & Environment, EEDC, Mr. Francis Iwu, this effort is as a result of the commitment of the management of EEDC in ensuring strict adherence to safety rules and regulations by staff of the company and its customers.

    Iwu also attributed this feat to the consistent Public Safety Awareness Campaign the organisation embarked on through interactive radio programs across its franchise area, as well as Town Hall meetings held to educate and sensitise the general public on the need to be safety conscious.

    “This achievement affirms the seriousness the organisation has been giving to safety, and the continuous investment in qualified Safety personnel and equipment,” Iwu said.

  • 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 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.

    Adherence to power line Right-of-way as well as these clearance levels will go a long way in safe guarding not only lives of the citizens, but also their property.

  • NEMSA to sanction DisCos over substandard equipment

    The Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) will punish any electricity distribution company (DisCo) that uses substandard equipment, its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Peter Ewesor, has said.

    He said the sanction ranged from a fine of at least N500, 000 to prosecution.

    He said the decision to impose sanctions on the firms was borne out of the need to make them comply with their rules and regulations.

    In an interview with The Nation, he said the agency had warned the DisCos against using substandard materials and equipment, adding that non-compliance would attract punishment.

    He said the agency has directed  the power firms to disconnect buildings on the Right of Ways (ROW) of power lines because of the hazards.

    He said the agency had issued an enforcement order to power firms and their contractors on the use of substandard electrical equipment.

    He said the directive issued between June 2017 and last December led to the disconnection of 1,205 buildings across the country, adding the measures were being taken to restore sanity in the sector.

    He said apart from undertaking responsibility in ensuring that customers get standard meters, the agency has also inspected poles manufacturing firms.

    NEMSA, Ewesor said, has inspected the 71 concrete poles manufacturing firms and certified 31. He said 40 firms were not given the green light, but were asked to correct certain areas and re-apply.

    According to him, NEMSA is insisting that new electrical networks and installations were inspected, tested and certified for use  to reduce the dangers in using such facilities.

    He said the agency stopped DisCos and contractors from undertaking substandard and bad construction practices in the power and allied sectors, to improve the use of quality and danger prevention equipment, adding that lives and properties are in danger of being lost to fire when substandard electrical equipment are used.

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) had seized substandard electrical products. Also, the agency has warned importers of substandard products to desist or face prosecution.

  • Electricity: NEMSA backs AEDC’s cleanup of shanty networks

    Electricity: NEMSA backs AEDC’s cleanup of shanty networks

    The Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) has thrown its weight behind Abuja Electricity Distribution Company’s (AEDC’s) ongoing cleanup of the inherited substandard shanty networks in its franchise area, saying that the exercise was not only commendable but also necessary to prevent electrical accidents that could lead to loss of lives and properties.

    AEDC had two weeks ago commenced a phased cleanup of poorly wired communities in line with its commitment to creating an accident-free electricity services atmosphere in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger states. The pilot of the network cleanup, which commenced in Gishiri Village of Abuja, started with the removal and replacement of substandard electrical poles with standard concrete ones.

    Leading a team of inspectors to a meeting at the AEDC head office, the Managing Director/CEO of NEMSA, Engr. Peter Ewesor disclosed that his agency was not only satisfied with the company’s network sanitization in Gishiri, but that it was also committed to collaborating with the AEDC in the cleanup of other poorly wired communities such as Tudun Wada and Dape.

    According to him, “Abuja (DisCo) is trying in the area of efforts to put its network in proper shape. We also appreciate AEDC for the support and cooperation that it has been giving our men (inspectors) out in the field. We commend you for that. However, you need to do more to sanitize other bad networks in your coverage area, and NEMSA will be there to give you all the support required.

    “Whichever community you’re moving to next, please convene a meeting with people from that area and NEMSA will lead the way to explain to the communities why it is necessary for us to do these cleanups because lives must be protected.”

    The nation’s Chief Electrical Inspector also commended AEDC for the training it has been giving to its staff, but added however, that “we want to encourage you (AEDC) to organize more training for your staff because by building their professional capacities you are also saving your company huge sums of money that could be lost if any accident occurs.”

    Engr. Ewesor also advised the AEDC to do more in terms of advocacy, saying that “we’re also aware that your company is doing a lot to sensitize members of the public on safety issues but we want to encourage you to do even more in this area.”

    He disclosed that the meeting with the AEDC management was a prelude to an inspection that members of the NEMSA team will be carrying out on the company’s feeders to further confirm the integrity of the power distribution facilities.

    In his remarks, the AEDC Managing Director/CEO, Engr. Ernest Mupwaya congratulated Engr. Ewesor on his recent reappointment as CEO of NEMSA, and assured him that AEDC takes health, safety and environmental issues seriously in conducting its business even as he reiterated his company’s commitment to collaborating with the electricity services management agency.

    “We are confident that by working hand-in-hand with NEMSA, we will not only be improving that quality of services we deliver to our customers, we will also be protecting our facilities and saving enormous resources that could be lost if there are unfortunate incidents”, the AEDC boss stated.

    Engr. Mupwaya also assured the NEMSA management of AEDC’s readiness to work with the agency in order to accelerate its public sensitization programmes on health and safety issues.