Some electricity distribution companies (DisCos) are partly responsible for the incessant power outages experienced in the country, according to disclosures made by the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, yesterday.
The minister alleged that such discos have deliberately not been taking up power supply from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), thus denying would be consumers electricity supply.
Power outages have worsened across the country in the last few weeks with the DisCos attributing the situation to gas shortage.
Consumers are separately accusing the DisCos of arbitrary billings, unauthorised disconnections, customer abuse and disregard for capping, among other allegations.
Following the deteriorating electricity supply across the country, Adelabu yesterday invited the Chief Executives of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) for a meeting later this week to review the situation.
Also invited to the meeting is the TCN Managing Director, Sule Abdulazeez.
The minister, in a letter signed by the Director, Distribution Services in the ministry, Engr. B.U. Mustapha, said the meeting was called to discuss issues bordering on the worsening electricity supply in their regions with a view to proffering a lasting solution.
The minister’s Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations, Bolaji Tunji, quoted him as saying the management of other non-performing DisCos would be similarly queried as reports continue to filter in on the situation in their regions.
“These two DIsCos (AEDC and IBEDC) have been summoned due to the worsening power supply situation in their regions despite improved supply from TCN,” he said.
He said gas shortage notwithstanding, the ministry has been putting pressure on the generating companies (GENCOs) to improve performance and generation has been ramped up to over 4000MW in recent days.
His words: “So, we expect power supply to have improved across the country, unlike what we are experiencing in some regions presently.
Findings revealed that some distribution companies were deliberately not taking up power supply from TCN while some power lines were also damaged by vandals in Abuja, Benin, Port Harcourt and Ibadan regions.
Besides, the minister plans to compel the DisCos to raise their performance level.
“Willful non-performance by any DisCo could suffice as a reason for severe punishment or outright licence revocation,” he warned.
The minister directed TCN to immediately commence repairs on the damaged transmission towers and power lines with a view to improving electricity supply in the affected regions.
The Federal Government is said to have recently paid $120m out of the $1.3bn owed gas companies for the supply of gas to run gas-fired power plants across the country.
The current low power supply is attributed to reduced gas supply caused by the indebtedness of the GENCOs to gas-producing firms.
The Director, Decade of Gas Secretariat, Ed Ubong, said in Abuja that the $120m debt was paid between October last year and January this year.
