Many States to Experience Blackouts as DisCo Threatens to Disconnect Owing Electricity Consumers

• The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has issued a stern warning to its customers owing electricity debts
• The DisCo urged the owing customers to defray their existing energy debts on or before June 3 or risk disconnection
• The company highlighted that prompt payment of electricity bills is vital for its operations and the improvement of its infrastructure

Legit.ng journalist Victor Enengedi has over a decade's experience covering Energy, MSMEs, Technology and the Stock Market.

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has strongly advised its customers to settle their outstanding energy bills by June 3 to avoid immediate disconnection.

AEDC stressed the necessity of meeting payment deadlines, stating that there will be no exceptions.

It would be recalled that a few months ago, Abuja DisCo had issued a disconnection notice to the Presidential Villa, along with 85 other ministries, departments, and agencies under the federal and state governments.

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu swiftly directed the immediate settlement of the outstanding electricity bill due to the power company.

AEDC threatens disconnection over debts

In a statement released on Friday and signed by Victor Ojelabi, the acting managing director and chief executive officer of AEDC, the company appealed to customers to settle their debts.

The statement read:

“The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) is notifying all customers with outstanding bills to settle their accounts immediately to avoid service disruption.

”To this end, customers who are yet to settle their outstanding bills within the next 72 hours, by Monday, June 3, 2024, will face disconnection of their electricity supply."

The utility company underscored the significance of meeting payment deadlines to maintain efficient and reliable service.

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They highlighted that prompt payment of electricity bills is vital for their ongoing operations and the improvement of their infrastructure, which is crucial for providing uninterrupted service to the communities.

The company also mentioned that all outstanding bills must be settled within 72 hours of the notice by Monday, June 3, 2024.

Checks by Legit.ng have shown that the disconnection will affect electricity consumers in Abuja, Kogi and Niger states that are under the coverage area of the DisCo.

Reacting to the notice, Salisu Umar, a resident of the federal capital territory, told Legit.ng that many residents are reluctant to pay because of the epileptic power supply,

He said:

"Many electricity users are reluctant to pay bills because, despite the poor power supply, Abuja DisCo still charges outrageous bills. Sometimes, for a whole day, we could have light for only up to six hours.

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"We have demanded prepaid metres but they are not forthcoming. At least with prepaid metre, you will monitor usage and manage the units have bought."

Minister tells DisCo to publish names of debtors

In related news, Legit.ng had previously reported that the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, had urged the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to publicly disclose the names of individuals or entities who owe the company debts.

This directive was issued during a meeting between the minister and the BEDC management while inspecting power projects in Benin, the state capital.

Adelabu stated that disclosing the names of the company's debtors is justified since electricity supply comes at a cost and is not provided for free.

Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng