Electricity firm explains planned six-day blackout

The Mainpower Electricity Distribution Limited (MEDL) has announced a planned six-day power outage across many communities in four local government areas of Enugu State.

MEDL is a power distribution firm in Enugu and a subsidiary of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, responsible for power supply in the South-east.

The MEDL spokesperson, Emeka Ezeh, said in a statement on Monday that the outage would be carried out by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) station in Nsukka.

Mr Ezeh said the outage would begin on Thursday, 5 November, and run until Tuesday, 10 November, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. daily.

“The planned outage is to enable the TCN technical team to carry out maintenance work on some equipment at the station.

“The exercise will affect electricity supply to the UNN, SUMAS and Orba 33kV feeders, resulting in power interruptions for customers served by these feeders during the stated period,” he explained.

The spokesperson listed the areas to be affected as Ukopi, Opi Agu, Eha-Alumona, Orba Town, Obollo-Afor, parts of Obollo-Eke, Enugu Ezike, Ibagwa, Nkalagu Obukpa, Okpaligbo, Iheaka, Edem Ani, Agbani, Uzo-Uwani, Obimo, Nkpologu, Lejja, Nguru, Aku and Ogbede, as well as surrounding communities.

Other areas include Odim Gate, Nkpor, Nru, Ede Oballa, El Tabera Estate, Ikenga Estate, Wilson Company, Umakashi, Isiakpu, G.R.A., Ogige Main Market and the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN).

PREMIUM TIMES reports that the communities span Nsukka, Udenu, Uzo-Uwani, Igbo-Eze North, Igbo-Eze South, and Igbo-Etiti Local Government Areas of the state.

Mr Ezeh said the company sincerely regrets any inconvenience the planned outage may cause its esteemed customers, appealing for their patience and understanding.

“The exercise is necessary to facilitate essential technical work aimed at improving the reliability and quality of electricity supply to customers,” he stated.

‘Why there’s a drop in power supply in Enugu’

Mr Ezeh, in a separate statement on Monday, explained that the recent reduction in power supply across most parts of Enugu State was a result of a drop in energy generation, which has led to low system frequency.

“This situation has necessitated the TCN to implement load shedding of the available energy”, he said.

The spokesperson stressed that the energy allocation to the electricity firm had been affected, which limited its ability to meet the daily service-level commitments.

“MEDL wishes to assure its customers that it is closely monitoring the situation and will continue to distribute the available energy allocation fairly across its network. The company remains hopeful that normal power supply will be restored soon,” Mr Eze said.

He noted that the company regrets the inconvenience this situation may cause its esteemed customers.