Ikeja Electric announces 8-week power outage Monday
…as TCN begins infrastructure upgrade
By Uthman Salami
The Ikeja Key residential and commercial areas of Lagos State will be in darkness for about two months as Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) begins major power facility upgrade.
The TCN is scheduled to flag off the second phase of infrastructure upgrade to improve grid system as enhance its electricity wheeling capacity.
Earlier, it was reported that the project involves pre-conductoring of 132KV lines. In the last six months the Transmission Company has engaged in a major turn around to meet up a timeline set in 2019 but was largely disrupted by COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
The job which will commence on October 11, and last for eight weeks will involve replacing of cables on the 132KV lines with heat resistant cables and adding more load capacity that will strengthen and improve electricity supply across the state.
Confirming the development, Engr. Jide Kumapayi, Chief Technical Officer, of Ikeja Electric, listed the areas to be affected to include, Oregun, Ojodu, Anifowoshe, Obakran, Omole Phase 1, Okeira, Ogba and Police Training College, PTC, (Ikeja GRA).
Kumapayi, said the Distribution Company, DisCo has already commenced sensitization exercise to educate customers on the development.
He said consequent upon that, the areas listed would experience darkness for 10 hours, beginning from 8am to 6pm on daily basis until the end of the exercise.
Kumapayi, said the company is also aware of huge losses that the exercise will cost the company but said the DisCo would be in a position to improve on its service delivery.
He said the exercise has become necessary given that the cables had in existence for over 40 years and obsolete without heat resistance.
This is equally seen as a boost to a recent Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between Ikeja Electric, Sahara Power Group and Lagos State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to supply uninterrupted power to residents of the state.
The agreement also includes the distribution of free prepaid meters to low-income areas, with the pilot phase of 20,000 meters to be distributed in Alimosho Local Government Area of the state.
At the signing of the agreement, the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Olalere Odusote, explained that the state seeks to increase power supply to at least 22-hours daily as well as solve the problem of metering and infrastructure deficit.
Odusote said that the implementation will commence immediately, stating that the Lagos State government has identified a number of feeders that can provide power in 20,000 low-income areas with plans to replicate the initiative across the state.
“The 20,000 meters have been procured by the state government and would be distributed free to low-income areas in Alimosho Local Government Area as the pilot phase.”
The Managing Director of Ikeja Electric, Folake Soetan, expressed the firm’s readiness to support the state in ensuring an uninterrupted power supply to residents.
The Managing Director of Sahara Power Group, Anthony Youdeowei, assured that his company will be transparent in its dealings with the government and Ikeja Electric to provide power for the residents of Lagos.
