Abuja DISCO set to install 65,000 meters

The management of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC)  has said that preparation for the installation of 65,000 meters in Niger and  Kogi states in line with its commitment to meet customer’s demands across its operation area will soon commence.

It stated this in a release made available to Sunday Tribune on Saturday in Minna, Niger State capital,  by its national Public Relations Officer, (PRO) Mr. Ahmed Shekarau, adding that the load shedding currently being experienced in the coverage area was as a result of the drop in load allocated to it by the system operator.

The release stated further that the installation of 5,000 meters for its customers in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, is scheduled to commence before the end of this month, while preparations are at advanced stage for the kick-off of connection of 60,000 meters for customers in various parts  of Niger State by the end of January 2017.

The company reiterated its  commitment  to metering all its customers in the Federal Capital Teritory, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger State. It also expressed optimism that providing such meters would address most misunderstandings associated with billing issues as well as reinforce customer confidence in AEDC services.

Meanwhile the AEDC management has blamed the rising load shedding of electricity in its franchise areas  on the recent drop in electricity generation, saying that the quantum of energy allocated to the company from the national grid fell short of what it has been receiving.

It thereby urged  its customers in Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger states  to discountenance  insinuations that it was deliberately starving them of power supply,  stressing that when there is limited available power, load shedding to its customers in the FCT and the three states have become inevitable.

It, however, appealed for the understanding of its numerous customers over the recent developments, assuring that it had never failed to distribute the load allocated to it by the system operator since November 2013 when the current management took over the company.

The AEDC’s management therefore explained that it had over time taken load in excess of its allocation, in order to meet customers demand, saying “when there is extra load in the system, we have always taken it in order to ensure that we meet the demands of our customers”.

Consequently the company reiterated its appeal to the customers assuring that it would continue to optimise its load shedding to ensure that all customers are given fair consideration in the distribution of energy.