AEDC explains reasons for cutting off power supply in Abuja during rainfall

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, says that it
cuts-off electricity supply most times when it rains to save lives,
properties and to protect its equipment.

Oyebode Fadipe, AEDC’s General Manager, Corporate Communications
gave the explanation while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria
on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Fadipe, was reacting to complaints by consumers that whenever
it rained, electricity supply was cut-off for days.

“The issue of electricity supply going off, especially when it
rains could be viewed from two perspectives, which could be
electricity lines and poles being pulled down by the rains or some
other major interruption.

“To avoid any form of destruction to lives and property, the
system is programmed go off when it is about to rain.

“Customers would have also observed that after rain, attempt is
made to restore the supply which is called “flashing’’

“If we try to restore supply and it is not stable, it means that
maybe a pole or two is broken and the conductor is lying on the
ground” he said.

According to him, AEDC duty is to look for the problem and try
to restore supply as the speed of repair is totally different from
the speed when destruction takes place.

He said that when the network for one reason or the other is
impaired, it would take a bit of time to bring back the poles,
string the lines and other things needed to restore power.

Speaking on the issue of laying cable underground as was being
done in other countries, Mr Fadipe said that the issue was not
alien to them.

He said that in Abuja, network was underground and AEDC had to
buy specialised vehicle to be able to trace any fault on those
cables.

“We have a specialised vehicle which when you connect a
motorised equipment to even if the fault is at Sheraton Hotel, it
will give us the location.

“We have invested in equipment, unlike the old practice before
privatisation when there is a fault, we will have to dig from one
point to the other and you destroy the roads.

“And also, most of our network is overhead so that you don’t
have to destroy the roads and you don’t have to spike the cables,”
he said.

He, however, assured consumers that AEDC was working on ensuring
effective power supply in the territory.

NAN

Subscribe ToNairalaw News!