TheNewsGuru

Tag: AEDC

  • Blackout in Abuja ends as workers suspend strike; FG gives AEDC 21 days to pay allowances

    Blackout in Abuja ends as workers suspend strike; FG gives AEDC 21 days to pay allowances

    The Federal Government has reached an agreement with the leadership of the National Union of Electricity Employees to suspend the indefinite strike they embarked upon following outstanding entitlements of 20 months.

    The decision was reached few hours after the commencement of the industrial action by the workers.

    The agreement to pay the outstanding allowances was reached by the leadership of the National Union of Electricity Employee, the Bureau of Public Enterprise and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission at the conference room of the Minister of Power on Monday.

    This was contained in a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Minister of State, Power, Goddy Jeddy Agba; BPE DG, Alex A Okoh; GS of NUEE, Joe Ajaero; Chairman NERC, Sanusi Garba and the FCT Council, Godfrey Aba.

    The parties said in the MoU that, “At the end of the expansive between the leadership of NUEE and relevant government institutions in the power sector over the industrial action which affected the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) franchise area regarding area regarding the unresolved dispute with the management of AEDC over unpaid entitlements, it was agreed as follows:

    “Government intervened with the firm arrangement to ensure the payment of the outstanding entitlements of AEDC staff within twenty one days counting from the date of the signing of the MoU.

    “And based on the foregoing, the industrial action is here by suspended.”

    The members of staff of AEDC were demanding the payment of their 2020 bonus and other entitlements.

    They also demanded the remittance of pensions deducted by the company to their Pension Fund Administrators.

    The union alleged that the remittances have not been made for the past 19 months.

    At AEDC Gwarimpa Office, they staff had in a notice said, “Pay the remaining: batches of 2020 bonus. Pension remittances (19 months). Third batch of bulk rent. Thrift deductions (17 months) and union check off dues (4 months. AEDC management pay us now!”

  • Parts of Abuja to experience black out on Valentine’s Day eve

    Parts of Abuja to experience black out on Valentine’s Day eve

    Parts of Abuja, the federal capital territory (FCT) will experience black out on Valentine’s Day eve, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has said.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the areas listed by the AEDC in a notice released on Friday included Area1, 2 & 11, National Hospital and Maimunat communication.

    Others are World Trade Center, Russian Embassy, United Nations Building, Embassy Zone, NNPC Qtrs., Garki 2, Garki village and environs.

    Giving reason for the black out, AEDC said the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) wants to carry out general maintenance exercise on their power transformers and associated equipment.

    “While apologizing for the inconvenience that this interruption will cause our customers in the affected areas, we urge them to be patient with us as AEDC is working continuously with TCN to ensure constant improvement in the supply of electricity at all times,” the notice reads.

    According to the AEDC, the black out is expected to last from 9 am to 4 pm.

  • Nigerians to receive high electricity bills from November

    Nigerians to receive high electricity bills from November

    After weeks of deliberations between the federal government and labour unions, electricity distribution companies in the country have resumed implementation of the earlier suspended service reflective tariff.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the electricity distribution companies started informing customers that with effect from 1st November 2020, the revised service reflective tariff would come into force as approved by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

    Already, customers on the pre-paid platform have started experiencing the revised tariff after vending, starting from November 1st.

    According to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), the revised tariff will reflect in the bills for customers on the postpaid platform when they receive their electricity bill.

    TNG reports the revised service reflective tariff is divided into 5 Bands and based on hours of supply to the customers. While customers on Bands D & E have their tariff frozen, those on Bands A, B & C will see some level of reduction in their unit as they vend.

    With the revised tariff regime, Non-MD and MD customers in Band A, with a minimum of 20 hours daily will now pay N53.48Kwh, N49.27Kwh and N48.84Kwh rates respectively, while Band B customers with minimum of 16 hours daily will be charged N52.31, N48.33 and N48.33/Kwh.

    In the same vein, Band C customers with a minimum of 12 hours daily will be charged N46.66, N44.05, and N44.05Kwh. The revised rates approved by NERC gave a slight reduction while there is no change in the rates for band D and E till the end of 2020.

    However, customers in Bands D and E, with a minimum of eight hours and four hours power supply per day, respectively, are not impacted by the tariff revision. Their SBT tariffs have been frozen and consequently, they will continue to be charged the old tariff prior to the introduction of the service reflective tariff.

    Recall that the electricity distribution companies had suspended the new tariff regime after a meeting between labour unions and the federal government.

    The electricity distribution companies complied with the order from NERC for the suspension of the revised tariff rates for 5 weeks.

    The suspension was based on a communique issued after a meeting between the federal government and the labour unions requesting consultations and finalization of negotiations by both parties on the tariff implementation.

  • AEDC effects revised service tariff Nov. 1

    The Abuja Electricity Distribution (AEDC) says it has effected the revised Service Tariff with effect from Nov. 1.

    AEDC General Manager, Corporate Communication, Mr Oyebode Fadipe said in a statement in Abuja on Sunday.

    “This is to inform our customers that with effect from Nov.1, AEDC has effected a revised Service Reflective Tariff as approved by the regulatory agency,” he said.

    Fadipe said that customers on the pre-paid platform will be the first to experience the revised tariff when they vend as from Sunday, Nov. 1.

    “While the revised tariff will reflect in the bills for customers on the postpaid platform when they receive their electricity bills.

    “The tariff is divided into five bands and based on hours of supply to the customers.

    “While customers on bands D and E have their tariff frozen, those on bands A, B and C will see some level of reduction in their tariff as they vend.

    “The AEDC assures its customers that it will, in line with the spirit and letter of the service reflective tariff, ensure that all customers receive quality service,” he said.

    He said that the AEDC was also committed to the improvement of service to customers in all its franchise area.

    “We, however, appeal to customers to please see this tariff regime as an opportunity for them to join hands with AEDC to speed up the process of improving the quality of service in the Nigerian power sector,” he said.

    Fadipe said that the table of the payment for the new tariff would soon be released.

  • AEDC begins implementation of new tariff plan

    The management of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) says it has started implementing new Service Reflective Tariff Plan (SRT) across its franchise area from Sept. 1.

    Mr Oyebode Fadipe, AEDC’s General Manager, Corporate Communications, announced this in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

    According to Fadipe, the SRT plan is a Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) mandated tariff structure, whereby an upward increment in tariffs will result in substantially longer hours of power supply.

    He said that the tariff structure would also result in good quality voltage profile, swifter response to faults clearing and provision of pre-paid meters.

    The general manager stated that the service reflective tariff plan was an innovative structure designed to deliver on the need for an upward review of tariff with an attendant caveat of improved service in the power sector.

    “The service reflective tariff plan signals a new approach to tariff design that is required to ensure equity and fairness in delivering quality service to customers.’’

    It also ensures that customers get good value for their money.

    “The new tariff design proposes an upwardly adjusted tariff for customers who are not averse to paying more to enjoy longer hours of supply, standard voltage profile and faster fault clearance timelines.

    “While we keep working at ensuring all classes of customers enjoy improved supply, customers who enjoy less than 12 hours of supply will not be affected by the new tariff plan.

    “Hours of supply to this class of customers will also not be adversely affected by the implementation of the plan,’’ Fadipe said.

    The GM encouraged customers to embrace this new tariff as the goal was to ensure that customers enjoyed improved service and also to position the power sector for optimal performance going forward.

    He said that more update would be made available to customers on the new tariff plan via multiple platforms.

  • Ikeja Electric conforms to AEDC, announces new electricity tariff regime

    Ikeja Electric conforms to AEDC, announces new electricity tariff regime

    Ikeja Electric Plc (IE) has conformed to Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and announced the introduction of a new tariff regime known as service reflective tariff.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) understands there will be a marginal increase in the cost of electricity per kWh with the new tariff regime, and IE on Friday, as with AEDC, said it would begin implementation from July 1st.

    The electricity distribution company made the announcement in a statement signed by its Head of Corporate Communications, Mr Felix Ofulue, but the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) was yet to respond to enquiry.

    Ofulue said the new tariffs, which are service reflective, are end-user rates to be paid for electricity based on the level of service (including availability and reliability) provided to a cluster of customers.

    He said: “This is in line with our Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) across the entire network in the coming months and years.

    “The different service levels to all categories of electricity consumers will also be accompanied by a change in tariff which has taken into cognisance changes in macroeconomic indices in the country.

    “This will enable all the market players (Generation, Transmission, Distribution and gas suppliers) in the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry cover cost of their operations and ensure improved service delivery.”

    According to him, the plan is for the sector to gradually make a transition to a full cost-recovery market where the cost of services provided will be fully recovered.

    Ofulue said services were also expected to improve within a very short time in customer service delivery, infrastructural upgrade, metering and technological solutions.

    He, however, said that this would be based on the level of investments that will be attracted, going forward.

    “For the purpose of customer classification, customers will now be categorised into maximum demand customers (MD) and non-maximum demand (Non-MD) customers, and will no longer be the usual residential, commercial and industrial customer classes.

    “All customers have now been clustered into different bands depending on the level of service currently being enjoyed.

    “Customers who are in the higher band currently being provided with good electricity supply will be expected to pay the true costs of the services being enjoyed.

    “Customers who are within the lower band and are not receiving optimal services will be expected to pay a much lower tariff pending improvements in services and the movement to a higher tariff band reflecting improved service delivery, ” he said.

    Ofulue said that IE remained committed to bridging the metering gap and reducing the incidence of estimated bills.

    “In recent times, we have doubled our efforts to realise our objective of metering our unmetered customers within the shortest possible time.

    “We also note that complaints resolution by customers have been a concern in the past but this is set to improve as we move forward with this new tariff regime

    “Lastly, this tariff implementation is subject to the approval of the regulator but it is necessary for performance improvement expected by customers,” the IE spokesman said.

  • Nigerians groan as DisCos introduce new electricity tariff regime

    Nigerians groan as DisCos introduce new electricity tariff regime

    Electricity distribution companies in the country have announced the introduction of a new tariff regime known as service reflective tariff.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) understands there will be a marginal increase in the cost of electricity per kWh with the new tariff regime.

    While other electricity distribution companies in the country are yet to announce date the new tariff regime will begin implementation, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has said it would be implementing beginning Wednesday 1st July 2020.

    Meanwhile, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) was yet to respond to enquiry.

    However, AEDC said, “In this new tariff, there will be a marginal increase in the cost of electricity per kWh but it is not all customers that will be immediately affected.

    “The principal benefit of this new tariff is to, among other things, ensure improved service to you our esteemed customers with longer hours of power supply.

    “The new tariff will also help us in the long run to recoup more funds for greater improvement in power supply to our customers”.

    The development has not gone down well with Nigerians; some, who have described the increment as baseless and a way to exploit poor masses.

    “This is an act of wickeness, tariff increase but service is getting worst on daily basis. We keep paying for what we don’t consume,” Olawale Ajiboye lamented.

    On his part, Destiny Idris said the electricity distribution companies need to first improve power supply to users before making new tariff effective.

    “Nigerians have been paying for darkness instead of light. You give flat rate bills to them even when there is no light. You are corrupt by allowing people to pay for light they never see or use,” he stated.

    While Paul Emmy called on National Assembly to rescue the poor masses, Zakariah Irimiya said, “This increment is baseless just a way to exploit poor masses”.

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  • Covid-19 Free Energy Units: Proposal is still hanging – AEDC

    Covid-19 Free Energy Units: Proposal is still hanging – AEDC

    The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC on Wednesday said the proposal to give free energy units to cushion the effects of lockdown was still hanging despite claim by some Nigerians that they got free units.

    Recall that the House of Representatives and the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party,PDP had called on electricity distribution companies to give Nigerians free energy units during the lockdown.

    A probe into this development by TheNewsGuru.com (TNG), proved that the proposal was yet to be implemented.

    A top official of AEDC who spoke to TNG under the condition of anonymity said” we’ve not received any instruction or modality to implement such a directive till date.

    “At our own end there’s nothing like that because if there’s any directive to that effect we’ll be the first to be briefed to effect it.

    TNG spoke to an agent of AEDC, Mr Emmanuel Omenufu who debunked the claim saying” people should be careful as it could be the handiwork of miscreants.

    “You can enjoy free units for now only if you have a new metre but if you do not have a new metre and you enjoy free units something is definitely wrong.

    “We the agents are yet to hear or receive any instruction bordering on free units to help Nigerians cushion the effects of the lockdown.

    To further verify this claim, TNG spoke to electricity consumers operating metres in a 14 apartment estate and nobody could tangibly verify the claim.

    The manager of the estate, Mr Pious Warri in Kubwa a satellite town of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT told TNG that” there’s no difference in terms of more units because I recharged just two days ago.

  • Electricity: AEDC, TCN embark on network reconfiguration in FCT

    The Abuja Distribution Company (AEDC) and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) have concluded plans to carry out a joint network reconfiguration to boost power supply in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
    Mr Oyebode Fadipe, AEDC’s General Manager, Corporate Communications, made this known in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday.
    Fadipe said that the reconfiguration exercise was to enable the two agencies redistribute load on existing 100MVA transformer at the Apo transmission.
    He said that the reconfiguration exercise would be aimed at improving power supply and service delivery in the territory.
    “Customers will recall that since the fire incident at Apo in April, there had been a regime of load shedding.
    “This reconfiguration exercise is intended to cure the load shedding and bring greater stability to the network,” he said.
    According to Fadipe, the exercise, which will take place on Saturday, July 20, will necessitate the interruption of power supply in some areas in the FCT.
    He listed the areas to include Lokogoma, Lugbe, Garki, Apo, Central Business District, Trade More Estate, Pegi, some parts of Asokoro and environs, from 10am until 2pm.
    . “We, therefore, appeal to all AEDC customers, who will be affected by the consequential power interruption, to please bear with the organisation for the duration of the exercise, ” he said.

  • Why power supply cuts off 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.

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

    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 properties, 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, 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 specilised 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.