The Nation Newspaper

Tag: transformer

  • Blackout: DSC residents decry vandalism of transformer, others

    Blackout: DSC residents decry vandalism of transformer, others

    • …beg for governments’ help

    Residents of Delta Steel Township, Sector ‘F’ in the Udu council area of Delta state, have decried vandalism of electricity facilities in the neighbourhood by hoodlums following years of power outages.

    The residents of Ikot-Abasi Street in particular, who woke up to their vandalised power transformer on Sunday morning, expressed worry over the development, calling on President Bola Tinubu and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to come to their aid and ensure the restoration of electricity to their homes.

    They disclosed that cables and other electricity facilities in the area were stolen now and then because of the 10 years of blackouts in the area.

    “We have not had electricity in this area for 10 years now. So these thieves come into the township in the dead of the night and vandalize the transformers, steal the cables, and whatever else they can lay hands on.

    “Last night’s incident, you can see the part left in the sack, probably they planned to come get it tonight. They went away with some part of it. We are going to find a way to keep these until hope comes our way and the light is restored,” Efemona Dickson, one of the residents and DSC pensioners said.

    Real Also: Oyo govt, firm take delivery of 11 transformers for communities

    Another resident and pensioner, Lucky, who also bemoaned the incident called on the government and other relevant authorities to help them.

    “We beg President Bola Tinubu and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to help us. They should not forget this person. We don’t have anyone else to cry to. If nothing is done, all the electricity facilities will be gone before we know it. Please, our President and Governor should give order for the light problem to be fixed,” he urged.

  • Damaged 20-year-old transformer plunges 11 Kwara communities into darkness

    Damaged 20-year-old transformer plunges 11 Kwara communities into darkness

    Eleven communities of Ali-Ara in Wara, Osin, and Egbejila wards of Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara state have been plunged into darkness.

    It was learnt that the outage which happened six months ago was caused by the dysfunctional state of the 20 years old transformer supplying electricity to the affected communities.

    The communities are Ali-Ara; Adedoyin; Ifesowapo; Ajara; Agogo; Ambassador; Budo-Oke;  Egoo; Ojuolape; Orelope Temiodara and Temiodara Annex.

    The communities are therefore appealing to the state government to come to their rescue.

    In a save-our-soul (SOS) message signed the communities “wish to make a passionate appeal to the government for a new electricity power transformer to ease the suffering of the people in the area of electricity supply.”

    The letter was signed by the Chair and Assistant Chair of Electricity Committee of the communities Abdulazeez Bankole and Abdulrafiu Olaiya

    The letter reads: “It must be recalled that the 200KVA transformer presently serving the eleven (11) communities in the area is far overloaded.

    The number of houses within the communities that the transformer was serving at its installation over 20 years ago have increased astronomically.  As a result of overloading, the communities in question have been experiencing intermittent darkness.

    “On a few occasions, the voltage becomes so low that it could not power.

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    “However, several repairs and maintenance had been carried out by the above communities on the said transformer without waiting for the government or IBEDC to keep it functioning; until a few months ago when the transformer packed up.  Officials of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) were contacted, and they told us that the transformer was damaged beyond repair and required total replacement with a new one.

    “It must also be rightly revealed that these communities are mostly peasant farmers with pockets of civil servants and taken into cognizance the meager income of the people, it might take an eternity to embark on the purchase of another transformer.

    “Presently, the entire community is in total darkness and life has become unbearable for us all ever since then.

    “As law-abiding citizens of Kwara state, who have been exercising our civil responsibility whenever the need arises politically and otherwise, we urgently seek the intervention of the government for the procurement of a new transformer.

    “We are banking on the administration’s kind-heartedness as well as the government’s inclination towards the comfort of Kwarans generally for assistance.”

  • Ogun legislator gifts transformer

    Ogun legislator gifts transformer

    Minority Leader of Ogun State House of Assembly, Lukmon Adeleye, has donated 500 kva transformer to Ikoto Community in Odogbolu Local Government in fulfillment of his electoral promise

     Adeleye said our society would become better if we develop and meet needs of the people.

     He said though the donation was a personal effort and challenges in the constituency were enormous, he would continue to do his best.

    Read Also: IE powers Ikorodu communities with N250m transformers

     According to him, “this is in line with my policy of ‘promise made, promise kept’. I am always sad each time I visit the community because of the darkness”

     He said in one of his campaign engagements, he promised to restore the community to the national grid. “Though this project costs me little over eight million naira, to God be the glory, I have fulfilled that promise with 500 kva transformer.

     The community head of Ikoto, Chief Olugbenga Adebanjo, hailed the legislator.

  • Man electrocuted while attempting to steal transformer cables

    Man electrocuted while attempting to steal transformer cables

    A yet to be identified middle-aged man was electrocuted to death while attempting to steal transformer cables inside the premises of the Niger State Printing Press in Minna.

    The man was said to have jumped through the fence to gain access into the printing press and had succeeded in cutting the ammo-cable before he was electrocuted.

    The deceased was discovered on Friday morning dead inside the transformer by security men of the State Printing Press, he was holding two of the wires which were suspected to have electrocuted him.

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    Those who discovered him had to call officials of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), who took him away.

    The Head of the Legal Unit at the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Barrister Aminu Ubandoma, said the company had been receiving several reports of transformer vandalism and they have been working with security agencies to reduce the rate of vandalism on electricity infrastructure across the state.

  • Ekiti donates transformer to community

    The Ekiti State government has presented a transformer to residents of Agric Olope Road in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, to prevent prolonged blackout in the area for about one year.

    Deputy Governor Bisi Egbeyemi, who addressed the residents, said it was part of the aims and objectives of Governor Kayode Fayemi’s administration to better the lot of the people.

    Egbeyemi said more dividends of democracy would be taken to their doorsteps, adding that the roads leading to the area would be dualised to ensure free flow of traffic across the state capital.

    The deputy governor, who emphasised the need to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari/Prof Yemi Osinbajo in next Saturday’s elections.

    He said the victories of the party’s candidates emergence would bring more meaningful development to Ekiti State.

    Egbeyemi added that the APC administration at the national, state and local levels, had entrenched growth and development, hence, the electorate should vote their candidates contesting during the elections.

  • Fire razes transformer in Jos- TCN

    Fire razes transformer in Jos- TCN

    The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) yesterday said that a 1x150MVA 330/132/33kV power transformer in its Jos Transmission Substation, caught fire and the inferno completely destroyed the power transformer.

    The fire was eventually put out at about 10pm, according to the General Manager (Public Affairs), TCN, Ndidi Mbah.
    Her statement that broke the news, added that the fire incident started on the secondary side of the transformer’s blue phase bushing, when a conductor snapped and caused oil to gush out of the bushing. This oil caused the fire to intensify engulfing the power transformer.

    TCN engineers in conjunction with the state fire service worked very hard to put out the fire, which unfortunately burnt down the power transformer.

    The statement further noted that “during the incident, TCN engineers were able to successfully isolate the burning 150MVA, 330/132/33kV power transformer from other energized parts of the substation to prevent further escalation. As a result of the quick intervention, the second 1x150MVA, 330/132kV power transformer in the same transmission substation was saved.

    “As at 11pm the same day, TCN engineers successfully restored the 330kV Gombe transmission line and the second 150MVA, 330/132/33kV power transformer supplying Distribution load centers in Jos simultaneously. To ensure there is no impact on the power supply to Jos; TCN has successfully diverted the 30MW normally supplied from Jos Substation; Gombe Substation now supplies 30MW to Bauchi. The incidence did not cause disruption of power supply to Jos and Environs,

    Management is intensifying effort to replace the burnt transformer. Equally investigation is being carried out to determine the immediate and remote cause of the incidence in order to forestall future occurrence.

    TCN regrets inconveniences caused electricity customers especially those in Jos and environs.”

  • Kano DISCO refunds meter, transformer buyers

    The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kano Distribution Company (KEDCO), Dr. Jamil Isyaku Gwamna has urged customers who replaced meters, transformers, poles and other electricity facilities to visit the company’s Kano headquarters for immediate refund.

    Gwamna who spoke during KEDCO’s parley with stakeholders and the House of Representatives Committee on Power, said KEDCO recently imported 70,000 transformers for free distribution.

    He said the idea behind the forum was to partner with the customers for improved service delivery, adding, “This is a special forum because it was convened at the instance of the House Committee on Power.”

    Speaking further, he said, “We have enough meters and transformers for distribution, there is no queue, and so, we appeal to customers to come forward for collection.”

    Gwamna who urged customers to desist from bribing KEDCO officials whenever they are performing their official duties, pointed out that the power outage was not deliberate.

    “In most cases,” he said, “power outage is beyond our control; it usually comes from TCN. They are not deliberate.”

    In his remarks, the chairman, House Committee on Power, Mr. Daniel Asuquo hailed KEDCO for putting in place one of the best facilities across the country, but observed that the company needed to expand to meet customers’ demand.

    “KEDCO is about the sixth distribution company that we have visited within this year. On our arrival, KEDCO management took us to some of their investments, which is to meet up their capital requirement they invested within the service year. We have seen most of their investments. We have seen the metering exercise they are doing; we have also seen the transformers; and we think that they have brought some innovations that are good for the people and the business.

    “We believe that if they expand on what they are doing, it will create better service for the people; and the issues we are already handling now is that of estimated billing and of course, exploitation of Nigerians would have been addressed once and for all,” he stated.

    He added that, “we are about 15 members of the House of Representatives that came for this assignment. We are here in Kano the headquarters of Kano Distribution Company (KEDCO), to carry out our oversight function in the power sector.

    “We are also here to arbitrate on the resolution of the House on the issues of metering gap, estimated billing, and infrastructural decay within the networks of DISCO companies that amounts to bad service and exploitation of Nigerians, which Nigerians are complaining about.”

  • Benin Disco and Ahunwan Relief II transformer

    SIR: We have been without power since March 4, when the transformer feeding us failed at about 10:43pm. All efforts to make Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) get us a higher capacity transformer (500KVA) has failed. Our mini substation is Ahunwan Relief II Transformer situated along Ighomo-Aihie Street by Eregie Street Junction, off Uwasota Road, Ugbowo Benin City, Edo State.

    After the meeting held between some selected members of the community and Fidelis Obishai, Engr. Agboola both of BEDC on Thursday May 18, at their premises at Akpakpava Road, BEDC has still not thought it fit to replace the failed transformer. Given the fact that there is a failed transformer which would have necessitated temporary closure of all analogue bills, BEDC has continued to manufacture estimated bills to the affected customers.

    Take the case of Mrs. V.M. Agbro of No. 16 Edobor Okundaye Lane with Old A/C No. 443838133401, EBMS Acct. No. 0000131817. Her outstanding for March which is for February bill period was N40,242.14 but the list brought before the community in May for outstanding debtors shows she is owing N45,666.52 . This is same for most customers using analogue meters feeding from that failed transformer.  The transformer in question failed on the March 4, and according to BEDC they take their monthly readings between 27th and 29th of every month.  It is clear from this list that consumers are still debited despite the absence of a transformer in the area. So in less than seven days, she consumed over N5, 000. This is absurd for a non-commercial account.

    It is also unfortunate that the Customer Complaints Section does not liaise with the management for faults reported and resolutions taken. A resident of the community, James Ojo, called the Customer Complain Centre on March 6, to lay a complaint on the failed transformer. He was given a ticket No. of 130594. He called back later towards the end of April only to be told that it has been resolved since April 10. This is not true.

    It is obvious BEDC does not have provisions for upgrade of transformers; rather they wait for the transformer to fail before putting the debt burden on the community. This is the case we are currently faced with at Ahunwan Relief II.

    It is surprising that an organization such as BEDC does not to know the coverage area of a particular transformer. This is because the sum of N11 million allegedly owed under Ahunwan Relief II are anomalies. We had to sort out the houses and streets feeding from Ahunwan Relief II with BEDC marketers who should had been the ones to do so from the list they brought. This is unprofessional.

    There is a particular building along Ighomo Aihie Street that has been dilapidated for over 10 years. Is it not expedient that the marketer place that account on temporary closure pending further actions? Rather, BEDC kept billing the house knowing that the landlord was dead. Now someone just renovated that building only to discover that the bills kept coming in. We also noticed that some of the so-called debtors from the list provided by BEDC had migrated to PPM without any payment plan on their accrued debts. Yet they kept the analogue bill running unknown to the customer. Take the case of R.O. Slater of No. 6 Charity Ola Street with Old Account Number 443838122701 EBMS Account Number 0000131794 who migrated from Analogue to PPM for almost two years yet his analogue bill kept counting without his knowledge.  Now who should be blamed for this mistake?

     

    • Sir S.E. Ugiagbe,

    Ugbowo, Benin City.

  • Court jails BEDC transformer vandals in Benin

    Two people – John Joshua (25) and Yakubu Idris (28) have been jailed for vandalising a transformer belonging to the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).

    This is coming a few months after two family members were jailed in Koko, Delta State for stealing electricity cables.

    They were apprehended by community members while vandalising a transformer located at off Oko Central Road, Benin City, Edo State.

    Chief Magistrate Mrs I.U. Iyoha of an Oredo Magistrate’s Court, sentenced Joshua and Idris to six months imprisonment after finding them gulty on a two-count charge of “malicious damage and stealing.” After being charged by the Police, they pleaded guilty and were sentenced to six months imprisonment with an option of N70,000 fine each.

    Last December, two persons – Friday Tega and Tega Ajaino – were sentenced to three years, and nine months two years imprisonment with hard labour.

    The accused were convicted by a Magistrate’s Court in Koko near Sapele, Delta state for vandalising a BEDC 33KVA line.

    The accused who were jailed without any option of fine after being found guilty of cutting the 50mm earthing wire for grounding channel iron on 33kva line, in addition to vandalising 12 towers. The vandals were caught by the customers and community members.

  • 58-year-old transformer!

    •It is shocking that this metaphor of sort is in cosmopolitan Lagos. 

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s replacement of the 58- year-old transformer at Palmgrove Estate in the state is noteworthy. Strictly speaking, that is not the responsibility of the state government; but that of the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC). This singular action naturally brought joy to residents of the estate who had been clamouring for the replacement of the antiquated transformer in the last 10 years.

    However, beyond the ecstasy brought by the replacement of the transformer and the governor’s good deed is the more fundamental issue of neglect that public equipment suffer in the country, as well as the lack of planning in most of our public institutions. The lack of planning, especially in the power sector, is evident in the fact that the transmission lines cannot carry the load that the generating companies are able to muster due to age and overloading. We therefore lose significant current in the process.

    Many power plants were left unattended to for years in the military era. The Palmgrove Estate transformer, installed in 1958 had been malfunctioning in the last decade, thus denying the residents the good life that electricity is supposed to provide even on the occasions that the power firm servicing the area decided to supply electricity to the estate. The commissioner for energy and mineral resources, Wale Oluwo, who represented the governor at the presentation ceremony, said the governor was moved to act after reading about the residents’ plight in a national daily, appealing to the IKEDC to replace the transformer. The state government also donated transformers to two communities in Alapere and Ijegun to boost electricity supply in the localities under its ‘Light Up Lagos Project’.

    The Palmgrove transformer is a fitting metaphor for especially the country’s power sector. If a transformer could be left unchanged in 58 years in cosmopolitan Lagos, we wonder how many of such dilapidated equipment are still in use in different parts of the country. With a story like this, we do not need any further proof that indeed, the power sector was neglected for decades, resulting in the epileptic power supply we have in the country that has refused to yield to light in spite of the huge amount of money sunk into the sector in recent years.

    Obviously, the transformer must have been overstretched because the population of the area was quite low as at the time it was installed, compared with now. The same applies to the electrical appliances it was designed to carry. So, apart from the increase in population, the load on the transformer must have increased beyond its capacity, leading to its frequent breakdowns.

    We commend the government’s gestures in moving swiftly to ameliorate the suffering of Lagosians. We note too that Lagos as well as some other state governments had been giving such assistance to the power sector long before its privatisation with little or no effect on power supply.

    The new DISCOs and GENCOs have their job cut out for them if they are truly desirous of turning things around in the beleaguered sector. There are many transformers, electricity cables and other equipment in all parts of the country that have outlived their usefulness; they must be replaced, even if in phases. There cannot be any improvement in power supply in the country if they keep on managing aged equipment. Now that the government has enabled them to raise tariff, they should justify the trust  by ensuring that Nigerians have value for their money.