By Energy Worth
As part of efforts to improve power supply in Edo State, the Benin Electricity Distribution Plc (BEDC) has inaugurated a total of 1,694 distribution transformers in the state since the new management take over in 2013.
The company, which disclosed this in a customer information update on Edo State it released recently, also added that power availability has also improved from two hours in 2013 to between 6-10hours in some locations within Edo state, with severe infrastructure limitations in areas that included Okada, Oluku, part of Sokponba, Evbuotubu, Oliha and Siluko.
BEDC equally asserted that improved power was also recorded from 8 hours to between 12-15hours for locations with more improved infrastructure such as Auchi, Government Reserved Areas (GRA), Ugbowo, Okhoro and new Benin in Benin City.
According to the report, “some of these improvements can be seen in large companies, hotels, teaching hospital, central hospital, universities, government establishments including Government House, High court and State House of Assembly”.
The company said further that “most importantly several customers can now predict when they will have power supply based on our regimented load management schedule which are published.”
On power supply to communities, BEDC disclosed that it had connected 12 communities which were without power supply before the takeover. These included Aduhanhan, Orhua, Evbuehkhae, Evbuovbuke, Ogbekpen, Ekuobore and Ikhueniro among others in Edo.
The distribution company (Disco) also said 16 communities have had their transformers replaced, while 11 transformers donated to communities have also been commissioned.
Shedding more light on the Ossiomo power project, the BEDC said: “To the extent permitted by applicable legal and regulatory framework, BEDC has been and continues to be willing to work with all such third parties including Ossiomo Power and Infrastructure Company to increase power supply within the ambit of the law, without compromising quality of power supply, affordability and safety of our customers.”
It affirmed that it has achieved over 65 per cent metering of customers and was committed to closing the gap in its coverage areas and also committed to ensuring credible billing for power consumed.
“NERC has introduced a new process of using third parties as Meter Asset Provider (MAP) to accelerate the metering process. This should help substantially to eliminate the gap in due course. Estimated billing will continue to subsist in locations where 100 per cent metering is not yet achieved as a means of computing bill for electricity consumed,” the company said.
