Ikeja Electric, EKEDC Upgrade More Customers to Band A to Enjoy 20Hrs/Day Power Supply
- Some DisCos in Lagos have released lists of additional feeders being upgraded to Band A customers
- This follows the hike in electricity tariff for customers on Band A, from N68 per kilowatt-hour to N225
- The DisCos have continued to assure customers of a guaranteed minimum of 20 hours of power supply daily
Legit.ng journalist Victor Enengedi has over a decade's experience covering Energy, MSMEs, Technology and the stock market.
Ikeja Electric Plc and Eko Electricity Distribution Company have been granted permission to incorporate extra Band A feeders into their respective networks.
The electricity distribution firms communicated these updates through individual announcements on their official social media channels.
Source: UGC
When NERC increased tariff
It's worth noting that earlier this month, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) issued a directive for an immediate upward adjustment of electricity tariffs starting from Wednesday, April 3.
NERC authorised power distribution companies (DisCos) to raise electricity rates to N225 ($0.15) per kilowatt-hour, up from N68.
Musiliu Oseni, the vice chairperson of NERC, clarified that this increase would specifically impact customers in Band A, while tariffs for Bands B, C, D, and E would remain unchanged.
Band A customers, representing roughly 15% of Nigeria's 12 million electricity consumers, typically receive a minimum daily electricity supply of 20 hours, although many express dissatisfaction with the actual supply duration.
IE adds 34 more feeders to Band A
In its statement on Saturday, Ikeja Electric said the additional feeders increased its feeders from 51 to 85.
Ikeja Electric stated:
“Effective today, April 13th, 2024, and based on our demonstrated ability to consistently provide a minimum of 20 hours of daily availability during a performance evaluation period monitored by the Regulator, we are pleased to announce that we have obtained approval to add 34 additional Band A feeders to our network. This brings our total from 51 to 85, with the breakdown as follows: 51 at 11kV, 31 at 33kV, and 3 at 132kV."
EKEDC adds 33 more feeders to Band A
The DisCo disclosed this Friday in a statement by the general manager, Corporate Communications of EKEDC, Babatunde Lasaki. According to the statement, 33 additional EKEDC feeders were migrated to Band A.
The feeders are Adeleke Adedoyin, Ajeast, Annex, Army Resettlement, British America Tobacco, CIG, Coker, Dideolu, Droyers, Empire Court, Estate, Etim Inyang, Firro, Freeman, Glover, Heritage and M&K Express.
Others are Mega Plaza, Montgomery 1, Moore Road, Nest Oil, NIMR, Nipost, Osborne, Ozumba Mbadiwe, Palace Road, Rocky Estate, Rumens, Smith, Station Feeder (Nitel), Victoria Arobieke and DPR and Nitel.
Lasaki assured customers residing in these regions that they would receive "a guaranteed minimum of 20 hours of power supply daily, consistent with the newly sanctioned Multi-Year Tariff Order."
A customer, Julius Nkere, speaking with Legit.ng complained that despite being upgraded to Band A, the power supply has not been efficient.
He said:
"We were told tat we are under Band A and we are supposed to have power supply for at least 20 hours, but that has not been the case. Power is only supplied for an average of 10 hours, despite the extremely high rate of tariff that we are now forced to pay."
Nkere, therefore, urged NERC and the federal government to enforce sanctions on DisCos and force them to live up to agreed terms of power supply.
NERC issues fresh instructions to DisCos
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that NERC sent a directive to DisCos regarding the execution of the April 2024 Multi-Year Tariff Order.
In a statement issued on Saturday, NERC emphasised that the commission has instructed all DisCos to offer maximum clarity to all impacted customers.
It highlighted that all DisCos must promptly publish the schedule of approved Band A feeders affected by the rate review on their websites.
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Source: Legit.ng
