Kunle Kalejaye
28 January 2017, Sweetcrude, Lagos — Apart from getting electricity supply from the national grid, the Eko Electricity Distribution Company, EKEDC has kick-started arrangements to source alternative power supply and distribute to customers within its network.
This was disclosed by the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Oladele Amoda at a town hall meeting and stakeholder forum with customers in Mushin in Lagos on Friday.
Amoda who was represented by Mr Sam Nwaire, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of EKEDC said the company has started a special arrangement with Egbin Power to buy 100 megawatts for distribution to dedicated customers, without going through the national grid.
He explained that the arrangement will cost the dedicated customers to pay a little more but are guaranteed stable power supply.
“Very soon, we will be taking 45MW from Paras Energy and we are also in discussion with Lagos State Government on how we can buy power from them to supply our customers.
“Behind the stadium, we want to build another 1×15 MVA substation to boost supply in the Surulere axis with approval from the regulators. We have been to Abuja twice with Hon. Desmond Elliot on this issue,’’ he said.
He used the forum to appeal to customers over the current instability in the distribution of electricity in the country.
The COO said “We all know what Nigerians are going through today, the challenge is everywhere. I know how you people feel and I want to tell you also that we are not also happy with power situation but I want to assure you that we are doing all we can under the law to improve power supply to our customers.”
He explained that EKEDC is entitled to 11 percent of power generation from the grid but not getting adequate energy due to ongoing challenges in the power sector.
When asked if the Credited Advance Payment for Metering Implementation, CAPMI has failed, he stated that “I do not agree that CAPMI failed, what happened is that some Discos didn’t actually play according to rule.”
