By Akinsuroju Olubunmi
Ibadan disco attributes poor power supply to gas shortage and vandalism.
The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) has shed light on the factors contributing to the current state of power supply within its jurisdiction, citing low gas supply to generating companies, vandalism, energy theft, and maintenance works by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
According to a statement released by IBEDC’s spokesperson, Busolami Tunwase, the company acknowledged the challenges and sought to communicate them to customers to foster understanding.
One of the primary factors highlighted was the inadequate supply of gas to generating companies, leading to a decrease in available generation into the grid and subsequently hindering IBEDC’s ability to provide power to customers within its franchise areas.
Additionally, scheduled maintenance activities by the TCN in January and March 2024 necessitated planned outages in specific areas of IBEDC’s network, further impacting power supply.
Vandalism and theft of electricity infrastructure were also identified as major issues affecting power supply. The company recounted incidents of vandalism, including the destruction of TCN towers in Ogun State in May 2023, resulting in prolonged outages for customers.
IBEDC expressed concern over the escalation of vandalism cases, with over 40 incidents recorded in 2024 alone. Energy theft through illegal connections and meter bypasses was highlighted as another significant challenge, leading to revenue losses and liquidity problems.
Moreover, the distribution company cited payment apathy from customers as a hurdle to ensuring adequate power supply. It urged customers to pay for consumed hours of supply and outstanding bills to support IBEDC’s sustainability and improve power supply.
Despite the challenges, IBEDC remains optimistic about overcoming them. The company assured customers of ongoing efforts to address gas supply issues and combat vandalism and energy theft. It also pledged to explore alternate power sources to enhance power distribution within its franchise areas.
Ibadan Disco
Poor Power Supply