Arrangements have been concluded to supply 100 Megawatts of power to electricity consumers in Calabar metropolis, the capital of Cross River State, south-south Nigeria.
The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHEDC, and the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, NDPHC, entered a bilateral agreement to supply consumers with electricity from the Odukpani power plant in Cross River State.
A statement signed by the Acting Manager, Corporate Communications of PHEDC, Chioma Aninwe indicated that the process of evacuating more power to Calabar was sequel to the demands of consumers within the metropolis.
Aninwe stated, “network optimization will be carried out in order to rehabilitate the network and increase the network capacity to ensure it can meet 24/7supply to Calabar. The projects have already begun and one has been completed, which is the construction of one unit of 15MVA (1×15 MVA) at Adiabo in Odukpani Local Government Area.”
According to her, the distribution company would build a substation in Akpabuyo Local Government Area, near Calabar capital city, designed to extend the increased power supply to the surrounding villages.
Meter installations
She further indicated that the distribution company was awaiting the arrival of 120 thousand smart meters for customers in Calabar as part of efforts to end challenges associated with payments of electricity bills.
Aninwe noted that the management of the distribution company disclosed to electricity consumers during the flag-off of its awareness campaigns of the commitment to boost power supply in Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Bayelsa States.
She indicated, “the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the PHEDC, Dr. Henry Ajabhawa, who was represented by the Chief Commercial Officer, Solomon Okopi, appealed to customers and stakeholders to see this move as a vital scheme to boost electricity supply in Cross River and its franchise states including Rivers, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom.”
“He appealed to customers to always pay their bill or recharge their pre-paid meters at the right time to enable the DisCo serve them better. Dr. Ajabhawa also appeal to consumers to support its fight against energy theft and vandalism or attacks of PHEDC personnel on legitimate assignments to forestall any setbacks in the energy value chain as well as economic sabotage,” she further indicated.
Meanwhile, electricity consumers in parts of Calabar metropolis have urged the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company to expedite the installation of meters in every household to check estimated billing.
The consumers, who expressed delight that PHEDC was working hard at replacing cables and poles destroyed during the last down pour, also enjoined the DisCo to procure and install additional transformers across new settlement areas for easy access to power.
Hauwa Abu
