The Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC Electricity Plc. has announced a total rollout plan of 572,392 meters within the next two years across its franchise areas covering Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti state under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme.
The breakdown according to a statement from BEDC, is as follows: Edo, 190,000 meters, Delta; 200,200 meters, Ekiti; 67,452 meters and Ondo; 114740 meters respectively.
Executive Director, Commercial, Mr. Abu Ejoor made this known during Media launches of the MAP scheme held across the coverage areas in Benin, Asaba, Ado-Ekiti and Akure, stressing that in taking off, MAP will initially have up to three months of build-up roll out, which will eventually pick up with expected increase in monthly rate, across its franchise areas.
Mr. Ejoor disclosed that in Edo state, BEDC was taking off in two major locations; GRA to Ihama in Benin City and Okpela in Auchi North, adding that customers should cooperate with enumerators going round various locations in Edo and respond promptly to request for completion of enumeration forms.
Speaking on current power reality in Edo state, the Executive Director affirmed that 44 percent of BEDC’s power allocation of 9 percent from the national grid comes to Edo state, hinting that average of 86,061MW of electricity is delivered to the state monthly.
He added that about 14 percent of power generated is lost due to poor network infrastructure, saying work was ongoing to improve the network, adding “about 36% of power generated is lost through commercial theft or illegal consumption and non-payment of bills. About 30% of power supplied to households are wasted due to inefficient management of use.”
Mr. Ejoor equally informed journalists that the 132KV breaker of the 15MVA transformer at Okpella Transmission Station has been replaced with the transformer back to service.
“The 1 No 40MVA TCN transformer substation in Auchi is close to completion as the work on the control room has progressed. BEDC has already completed the construction of the associated 33KV lines in readiness to pick load once the project is realized”, he added.
“MAP will carry out meter roll-out location by location, route by route, street by street, while enumeration is a prerequisite for meters to be provided under MAP”, he declared, saying, that in Edo state, rollout of meters would be handled by three of its MAP parties, namely FLT, G-Unit Engineering and Turbo Energy.
According to Mr. Ejoor, customers are required to complete the customer data and survey form, after which the MAP officials will assess the customer’s premises in readiness for metering, adding “once a customer premises is cleared, he will be advised on how to pay for the meter, whether single phase or three phase.”
The Executive Director, Commercial, disclosed during the media Launch of MAP in Asaba for Delta state customers that the scheme was taking off in Asaba and will eventually move to all local government locations in the state.
According to him, some of the locations flagged for take-off of MAP within Asaba Township include NTA road, behind NTA, behind Government House, Amechi Iyio Way, Anwai road, Infant Jesus axis, Borrow Pit community and Ibuzo town road.
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Speaking on current reality on power supply in Delta, Mr. Ejoor explained that 32per cent of BEDC’s power allocation comes to Delta, adding that an average of 84,516MW is delivered to the state monthly.
“Before Asaba and Warri TCN problem, there was an average daily availability of 10-22hours on 33KV feeders and 6-10 hours on 11kv feeders. About 14per cent of power generated is lost due to poor network infrastructure, while we continue to improve the network,” he added.
He listed some recent power supply improvement projects in Delta to include; construction of commercial feeders in Asaba, Warri, Udu, Ogwuashi-Uku, Agbor from 6hours to average 22hours to the commercial customers in the environs and the rehabilitation and restoration of power supply to many communities in the state including, Ubulu-Ukwu, Ibuzo, Issele-Uku and Illah.
Also speaking, Chief State Head, Delta, Engr. Fidelis Obishai disclosed that in view of the failed 2x150MVA 330/132kv power transformers in Asaba Transmission station, customers were being presently fed from Onitsha, adding that available power is however 30MW as against 100MW required.
Obishai equally lamented that due to the faulty 1x60MVA power transformer in Effurun, due to undersized conductors heavy load management is taking place in Effurun, Warri, PTI and Sapele axis of the state.
Mr. Ejoor told journalists that in Ekiti, metering would be taking off in Ado-Ekiti and Ido-Ekiti and will eventually move into other locations, adding that the rollout of meters will be handled by FLT Energy and Sabrud Consortium, both designated parties.
“MAPs will carry our meter rollout location by location, route by route and street by street while enumeration is a pre-requisite for meters to be provided under MAP” he said, adding that “some of the locations flagged for take-off include: Fajuyi Park Area, Similoluwa Area, Teaching Hospital, Ajowa Street, Oriapata, Opposite School of Nursing, Adebayo Area, Adehun Quarters, Olora Area, Ile-ileri, Adehun Quarters, Peace Avenue and Pathfinder Hotel Road among others.”
He opined that with the MAP Scheme, it will assist BEDC in reducing customers’ complaints on metering, wrong and estimated billing which he said accounts for over 60 percent of complaints.
Speaking on current reality on power supply in the state, the Executive Director said, average of 13,432 MWh of electricity is delivered to the state monthly, noting, however, that 14 percent of power generated is lost due to poor network infrastructure while about 36 percent of power generated is also lost to commercial theft or illegal consumption.
Ejoor listed some recent power improvement projects in Ekiti to include; installation and commissioning of 3 N0s 11kv indoor panels at Agric 15MVA injection substation to replace the obsolete ones, and the commissioning of the new CBN Ado Ekiti 2.5MVA 33/11KV injection substation and two numbers 1.5MVA 11/0.415KV distribution substations within the CBN complex to increase power supply and quality of supply from 6 hours to 12 hours.
Major challenges according to him, include; transmission bottlenecks, limitations in rearranging the Distribution network to improve power supply and increase in network and equipment vandalisation.
In Ondo state, BEDC devoted a total number of 114,740meters to customers in Ondo State under the MAP scheme within the next two years on a monthly average of about 5,000 units even as it disclosed that to solve the problem of power supply in Ondo and other states, it will soon engage power producers to come and produce power through embedded generation/off national grid to augment shortfall from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
Executive Director, Commercial who made this known at a media launch of MAP held at the Royal Bird Hotel, Akure said that the metering scheme would be taking off from two local governments in Akure North and South namely, Igbatoro, Ijapo, Alagbaka and Ilesha road respectively, adding that the MAP parties to facilitate the takeoff were; FLT Energy Systems, Sabrud Consortium.
Mr. Ejoor assured Ondo south customers that BEDC was expectant that the power generation plant in Ore nearing completion in which the state government is involved and the addition of other independent power supply from the planned initiative would permanently result in major power supply improvement in Ondo state.
He noted that Ondo South with many communities in the Ore, Okitipupa axis were in darkness because despite a 75MW power requirement only 20MW power was available for sale at Ondo TCN, stressing however that the recently completed breaker for the 15MVA transformer by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) would assist in reducing the gap when the ongoing line rehabilitation was completed.
Source: Oriental News
