Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano
Kano Electricity Distribution Company Plc (KEDCO) has emerged the best Disco in the last month’s safety performance rating of all power utilities in Nigeria, conducted by the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) and the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
In a statement issued by the firm’s spokesperson, Mohammed Kandi and made available to THISDAY in Kano on Tuesday, it said KEDCO scored a total of 100per cent in the October ranking to beat 10 other Discos, as well as the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to clinch the first position, having emerged the second best in the September rating.
KEDCO, which came on top following its renewed commitment in complying with all the rating criteria including speedy and timely resolution of network defects and problems associated to curtailing accidents leading to fatalities and major injuries, network improvement such as fencing of transformer substations, upgrade of feeder pillars and replacement of bad poles, some of which have led the firm to success.
But, KEDCO’s chief Technical Officer (CTO), David Omoloye, said the company’s success in the latest NEMSA/NERC October ranking could be linked to its determination and continuous effort in improving the aging network inherited from the PHCN.
He said: “The Network inherited from the defunct PHCN has been characterised with defects that pose high risk to lives and property due to uncontrolled network expansion that were politically motivated. Our modest achievement is a result of an ongoing systematic upgrade of the network for optimum performance that guarantees safety and loss reduction.”
The CTO, who also attributed the firm’s award to the customers’ responsiveness in paying up their electricity bills promptly, disclosed that more revenue collection would lead to more network improvement and more power supply for the customers.
The minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola had directed the performance rating of Discos and the TCN following the raising spate of electrocution cases.
