The Ekiti State government has rejected the planned nine-hour power disconnection by the Benin Distribution Company (BEDC) over maintenance of infrastructure for the next two months.
The distribution company had announced in a public notice on Friday that there would be power outages in Ondo and Ekiti states due to planned maintenance work on the 132KV Akure Osogbo transmission line of the Transmission Company of Nigeria.
According to the notice, the power outage in the entire states would occur between 8 am and 5 pm starting from July 1 to August 31, 2024.
However, Ekiti State’s Commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utilities, Professor Mobolaji Aluko, described the planned power disruption as unacceptable in a letter dated June 30, 2024. He stated that such an outage would cripple economic activities in the state.
The letter was addressed to the MD/CEO of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz; MD/CEO of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), Deolu Ijose; and the Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Company (NERC), Engr. Shehu Garba.
Aluko emphasized that neither the ministry nor the Ekiti State Electricity Regulatory Bureau (EKSERB), authorized by law to regulate the electricity industry in Ekiti State, had received prior notification about the planned outage.
He stated, “We have been made aware of public notifications, both in print and through English and Yoruba language jingles, regarding BEDC’s intention, under TCN’s advice, to disrupt power supply to the transmission stations in Akure and Ado-Ekiti. This would significantly affect Ekiti State and Ondo State areas, with nine hours of outage each day (8:00 am to 5:00 pm) from July 1, 2024, to August 31, 2024.”
“No direct communication was made to the Ekiti State Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Utilities (MIPU) on this matter, nor was approval sought or obtained from EKSERB,” he added.
“The planned disruption, totaling 558 hours over sixty-two days, including twenty-three full days of outage, imposes an unacceptable economic, financial, and social burden on the citizens of Ekiti State. Therefore, we categorically reject this plan.”
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“Consequently, we request an immediate suspension of the plan and propose an emergency meeting with regional heads of TCN, BEDC, and NERC at 12:00 noon on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, at the Office of the Honourable Commissioner, MIPU, The Secretariat, Ado-Ekiti. This is to devise an alternative plan that minimally impacts our citizens while achieving the stated objectives of carrying out critical maintenance on the 132KV Akure Osogbo transmission line and installing Optical Ground Wire (OPGW) and other necessary activities.”
“We urge prompt attention to this matter and look forward to collaborative efforts to find a sustainable solution that benefits both the citizens of Ekiti State and the Ekiti State Electricity Supply Industry.”
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