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From Tunde Omolehin, Sokoto
Kaduna Electric has explained the challenges of poor power supply facing Sokoto residents, vowing to do ‘everything humanly possible to arrest the situation.’
In a statement issued by its Head of Corporate Communication, Abdulazeez Abdullahi, the electricity distribution company said that it has noted the development with great concern and a high sense of responsibility over the grievance expressed by protesters.
The statement was in response to a recent street protest organised by the affected residents of Old Airport, Tamaje, Dambuwa, Sabaru, and Offa road.
‘While we recognises the right of every citizen to freedom of expression, we appealed to our customers for patience and more understanding as we strives to ensure better electricity services. As a customers centric organisation, we are always receptive to constructive engagement with our customers,’ the statement read.
‘To the issue at stake, we are not unaware of power supply situation in Old Airport, Tamaje, Dambuwa, Sabaru, Offa road and adjoining communities, neither are we not doing anything to address the situation.
‘To the contrary, we are well aware of the challenges and we are doing everything humanly possible to arrest the situation.’
The power distribution company explained that the issue is multifaceted:
‘First and foremost, the power transformer supply bulk electricity to most parts the metropolis (Power Station 33KV line) and other rural communities at the Transmission Station is over loaded and stretched beyond its limit.
‘According to the TCN, the power transformer has the capacity to take only 22 megawatts while the total customers energy requirements at peak is almost 40 megawatts.
‘Consequently, it cannot accommodate all the customers (eight 11KV feeders, other point loads and the rural communities) at the same time, especially at peak period.
‘Hence, most often, electricity supply is being rationed/alternated among the various communities/areas.
‘As if this is not enough challenge, the residents of Old airport, Tamaje, Dambuwa, Sabaru, Offa road and all adjoining communities feeding from Army Barracks 11KV feeder (one the 11KV feeders affected by the limitation on the Power Station 33KV line) have a similar but peculiar problem. The power transformer feeding them is equally over loaded and cannot accommodate all the aforementioned communities at the same time.
‘As such, beside the power rationing (load shedding) occasioned by the limitation on the Power Station 33KV line, another local load shedding is being carried out to save the only 7.5MVA power transformer at the old power house injection substation.
‘Indeed, this makes the situation worse and more painful to these communities. We sincerely regret the inconveniences caused our customers in the affected communities.
‘In the interim, we are re- aligning our 33KV and 11KV lines for improved service delivery. This entails construction and or extension of both 33 and 11KV lines, de- loading of grossly overloaded feeders and transferring some point loads from overloaded 11KV feeders to under loaded ones.’
Kaduna Electric has assured the affected residents to improve the situation in due course.
