AEDC not denying Niger power on purpose

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has denied allegations that it was deliberately under-supplying the state with electricity.

This came on the heels of report by a group, the ‘Concerned Citizens of Niger State’ stating that the AEDC was being biased in its electricity distribution.

In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, the AEDC management said it was untrue that it supplied the state with low electricity in favour of other franchise areas.

It said the allegation was based on fact that the group lacked knowledge on how electricity supply is shared.

In its explanation, it said electricity allocation from the national grid to AEDC and the need to equitably distribute power was responsible for the present supply to the state.

The statement partly reads: “It is untrue that we are intentionally supplying Niger State with low electricity in favour of other franchise areas like Abuja.

“A group of Niger citizens, in a press release, accused us of being biased in our electricity distribution.

“However, we realise the accusation is based on lack of proper understanding of how AEDC distributes power to its franchise areas.”

It further explained that as one of the 11 distribution companies, it was only entitled to 11.5 per cent of whatever quantum of electricity was available for distribution at the national pool.

It said that the quantum of electricity comprised electricity generated from all the functional plants from among the 26 power generating plants, including the three hydropower stations in Niger.

“It is very important to point out that the 11.5 per cent of power available for national distribution has in recent times hovered in the region of 300 megawatts (MW) daily.

“This is due to the low national generation occasioned by acts of vandalism.”

The power company said that in sharing whatever amount of power allocated to it daily, it had to concentrate the largest proportion of it to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

According to it, this is justified because the FCT (Abuja) is Nigeria’s seat of government, serving as host to many strategic national and international institutions.

The AEDC further said that 70 per cent of its customers were also located in the FCT.

According to it, with the bulk of its customers in the FCT, it has no choice but to domesticate the largest proportion of its allocation to the territory.

“We appeal to AEDC customers and members of the public, especially in Niger, to discountenance all insinuations in the press release issued by the ‘Concerned Citizens of Niger State.’

“We admit that we are yet to reach our desired destination in terms of improved power supply, but we certainly have made tremendous progress.

“This much has been acknowledged by numerous customers in Niger and beyond.

“We are optimistic that with the support and understanding of our customers, we shall reach the desired destination,” it assured.