Limited, Nigeria More power outage coming as Eko, Ikeja DISCOs receive less megawatts

By Nwankwo Onyinye

lagos —INDICATION emerged yesterday that the erratic electricity supply in Lagos might worsen following alarm by both Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Eko DISCO and Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, Ikeja DISCO, over continuous drop in megawatts allotted them by the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN.
This came as the siege on Ikeja DISCO by consumers led Citizens’ Access to Electricity Initiatives, CATEIN, and Federation of Informal Workers of Nigeria, FIWON, over poor service among others including crazy bills continued for a four day running without any end in sight.

Spokesmen for the Eko and Ikeja DISCOs, Mr Godwin Idemudia, and Mr. Felix Ofulue, lamented that they were having challenges in power distribution across their networks, due to insufficient allocations of megawatts from TCN.
According to Ofulue: “The power supply is gradually going down across our networks as we are engaged in serious load-shedding because of the non-availability of energy which has to be rationed based on what we receive.

”For the past one week, we had received between 343 megawatt and 268 megawatt. But for the past two days, since the picketing of our facilities, we have received 169 megawatts. This is because the system has to be shut down due to no operations.”

Meanwhile, speaking on their resolve to continue the siege on Ikeja DISCO, Mr Joseph Emmanuel, General Secretary, CATEIN, insisted they would not stop the picketing until the company met their demand.
Others are; estimated billing for customers without meter; faulty transformers and breakers; poor relationship with customers; unfriendly attitude to labour and rickety distribution network.

“The poor supply of power currently being experienced by customers on its network is as a result of the inability of the company’s technical personnel to access Business Units, Undertakings Offices and sub stations following the barricading of entrances and exits of all operational locations within the Ikeja Electric Network.”