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The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has explained that the current blackout in Nigeria’s south-east is due to a fault on the Mando-Shiroro Transmission line, which has affected power supply in some parts of the region.
EEDC is the electricity distribution company which, through its subsidiaries, serves the five South-eastern states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states.
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The spokesperson for the EEDC, Emeka Ezeh, in a statement on Thursday evening, stressed that the electricity firm was undertaking emergency load management in parts of its network due to the fault.
“As a result of this, the National Control Centre (NCC), Oshogbo, has advised that we maintain only 44MW on the Onitsha/New Haven 330kV (affecting Awada, Agu-Awka, Nibo, New Haven, Nkalagu and Abakaliki Transmission Stations), and 10MW and 11MW on the Ugwuaji and Apir Transmission Stations, respectively.
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“Consequently, customers served by the subsidiary companies of EEDC (MainPower, FirstPower and EastLand) in Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi States, respectively, are affected by this development,” he said.
Mr Ezeh said the EEDC has apologised to its customers for the inconvenience caused by the development.
He said the company has appealed to customers for understanding at this time and assured that relevant bodies are already making efforts “to clear the fault and restore normal supply.”
The spokesperson did not indicate in the statement when the normal power supply would be restored in the South-east.
PREMIUM TIMES reports that a blackout has affected most parts of the region since Thursday morning.
EEDC and its subsidiaries in South-east
Previously, the EEDC primarily distributed power across South-eastern Nigeria.
But recently, the electricity firm allowed its subsidiaries to take over power distribution in the five states in the region.
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While Mainpower distributes power in Enugu, FirstPower operates in Anambra, and TransPower works in Imo State.
NewEra took over power distribution in Abia, while EastLand operates in Ebonyi State.
The establishment of the subsidiaries by the EEDC followed the enactment of the Electricity Act 2023, which authorises states, companies, and individuals to generate, transmit and distribute electricity.
With the new law, states were empowered to issue licenses to private investors to operate mini-grids and power plants within their states.
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