AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
The Ibadan Electricity Distribution company Plc. has disclosed plan by the Transmission Company of Nigeria to disconnect its feeders from the national grid as a result of poor remittances.
This is contained in a statement made available to Oyo Reporters on Wednesday, signed by Kingsley Achife, Chief Executive Officer of the IBEDC.
The action, according to the statement, may result in power outages to customers within the IBEDC franchise area.
The statement read in parts that “The management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc. regrets to inform its esteemed customers that the Market Operator, a unit in the Transmission Company of Nigeria, is planning to disconnect its feeders from the national grid due to poor remittances.
“As a revenue collection arm of the electricity value chain, IBEDC sells and distributes electricity generated by the generation companies. However, the company is unable to meet its financial obligations to the electricity value chain due to poor payment and huge outstanding bills by customers.
“We appeal to our esteemed customers to pay their current and outstanding bills to enable IBEDC meet its obligations to the Market Operator and other parties in the electricity supply industry to ensure continuous and uninterrupted power supply.”
The statement further read that the IBEDC prioritized service delivery to its customers, adding that “Payment for electricity is essential to ensure the sustainability of our operations, and it is a responsibility that we all share.
“We urge our customers to note that failure to pay current and outstanding electricity bills may result in disruption of power to homes, communities, and businesses connected to our network.
“We encourage all customers to pay their bills promptly to avoid any inconvenience.”