Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan
The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) has assured of its commitment to ensure that customers under its area enjoy constant power supply.
The Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of the distribution company, Mr. Akin Abiodun, said this when some youths from Lalupon community, in Ibadan, stormed the company’s headquarters in Ibadan, with placards to protest epileptic power supply to the community.
He said efforts to ensure permanent solution to the epileptic power supply in the community and its environs were underway, appealing for the understanding of the residents while reminding them of the strides the company has been making to resolve the issues of the low power supply.
According to him, “Lalupon 33kV Feeder, is a leg on Adogba 33kV feeder from Ibadan North 132/33kV Transmission Substation, located at Shasha, in Ojoo area.This feeder supplies electricity to Olodo, Lalupon, Iyana-Offa, Ejioku and Oyedeji communities. This same feeder with a load demand of 27MW also feeds Adogba and Akobo Injection Sub-stations.
“These same Injection Substations are the ones feeding Iwo road, Monatan, New-Ife Road, Akobo, Estate and Iyana Church and so on. Meanwhile, Adogba 33kV feeder is limited to 17MW due to transformer limitation at the Transmission Station.’’
Abiodun added that the IBEDC management had in response to the inherited albatross from the defunct PHCN, rehabilitated the Lalupon 33kV line by re-conductoring and changing failed components on the line, stating that it had also re-channeled 27 Tee-Offs from the line to new Asejire 33kV feeder to reduce the load on Lalupon 33kV line.
“As part of remedies under proposal, IBEDC Management plans to run a new 33kV line from Iwo Transmission Substation to Lalupon, thereby changing the source of supply from Ibadan North Transmission Substation to Iwo Transmission Substation. With this, we believe the much-desired respite would be achieved.
“However, funding of the project which hitherto has been hampering the execution is now receiving priority attention.It is also planned that when this line is completed, an Injection Substation will be constructed at Lalupon to complement the line project,’’ he said.
He stated further that the IBEDC in collaboration with the Oyo State government and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) are working on having another 330/132/33kV Transmission Substation similar to that of Ayede at Egbeda area.
Abiodun cautioned customers from Lalupon on the consistent rejection of their bills, apathy to payment and assault of their staff carrying out their lawful duties, noting that such attitude frustrates the company’s laudable business projections for Lalupon and its environs.
A representative of the community, Mr. Lateef Olayiwola, explained that the peaceful protest was to register their displeasure over the poor power supply to the area, stating that the community had been in darkness for more than eight years while appealing to IBEDC to find a lasting solution to the problem.
