Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has alleged that it’s been forced by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to drop 100 MegaWatts of power daily.
The action, the AEDC said, has led to the massive loadshedding currently being experienced by the customers in parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
TheFact Nigeria reports that TCN in the statement it issued recently in respect of the installation of the 2 X 60MVA GIS 132/33kV substation in Gwarinpa, assured that “during the 14day installation period, bulk power delivery to AEDC will not be affected as TCN has made adequate plans to ensure that the quantum of power supplied to AEDC is maintained. This means that the installation of TCN’s new GIS substation will not affect bulk supply to Abuja DisCo customers.”
However, the current reality does not support TCN’s claim. Instead, what AEDC has is a 65% reduction in the power load wheeled to the company by TCN. They hitherto receive 140MW but now get 40MW.
TheFact Nigeria also gathered that AEDC was initially reluctant to join issues, so they are not seen to be passing the bulk, but, when customers started calling them lairs, they were left with no other option than to also state issues from their own perspective.
The General Manager, Corporate Communications, AED Plc, Oyebode Fadipe in a statement said, “our load intake in some parts of Abuja has been significantly reduced by 65% of the daily load wheeled to us following the commencement of the installation of the 2x60MVA 132/33kV Gas Insulated Substation (GIS) by the TCN in Gwarinpa, Abuja on 27th Oct. 2021. The exercise is expected to last till 9th of Nov. 2021.
“As a result of this exercise by the TCN, AED Plc can only take 40MW out of the 140MW it hitherto received from TCN for distribution to customers fed from the Kubwa 2 X 60MVA 132/33kV transmission station (AT4). Kubwa TS serves Dawaki, Bwari, Deidei and Kubwa 33kV injection substations in Abuja. The 40MW is shared between Suleja and Kubwa transmission stations on the basis of 20MW each.
“In order not to keep the feeders out completely, the load carried by the Kubwa 2 X 60MVA 132/33kV substation has been diverted to the Suleja transmission station and this has led to the massive loadshedding currently experienced by AED Plc customers who take power from the aforementioned feeders.
“Areas affected include Dawaki, Deidei, Kubwa, Gbazango, Suleja, Gwagwa, Iddu Karmo, parts of Life Camp and Gwarinpa, I-Pent Estate, EFAB Metropolis and Mab-Global Estate. Others are Zuba, Kaduna Road, Bwari, Dutse, Lower Usman Dam, Dantata Estate, Kubwa, Zuma, Gauraka, Dikko, Deidei International Building Materials Market and environs.
“We therefore appeal to our customers to please bear with us as the exercise is intended to accommodate more demand and create room for improved service delivery”, the statement said.
