The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC, has assured of its commitment towards ensuring that its customers in Lalupon community in Ibadan and its environs enjoy improved power supply.
The Chief Technical Officer, CTO, of the company, Mr. Akin Abiodun, gave the commitment while speaking with journalists, when some youths from Lalupon community, stormed the company’s headquarters in Ibadan, on Thursday, with placards to protest epileptic power supply to the community.
Abiodun said that efforts to ensure permanent solution to the epileptic power supply are underway, even as he appealed to the youths and r residents of Lalupon for their understanding, reminding them of the strides the company has been making to resolve the issues of the low power supply.
He said, “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 Substations.
“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.’’
Adding that the IBEDC management had in response to the inherited albatross from the defunct PHCN, rehabilitated the Lalupon 33kV line by reconductoring and changing failed components on the line, Abiodun stated 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.
He further reiterated, “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 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 biils, apathy to payment and assault of IBEDC staff carrying out their lawful duties, noting that such attitude frustrates the company’s laudable business projections for Lalupon and its environs.
He said, “This attitude is negative and counter-productive. We hereby appeal to the good people of Lalupon community to tow the path of peace and dialogue.For any relationship to thrive, it must be mutually beneficial. They should support IBEDC in permanently resolving the present power supply challenges in that area. The management of IBEDC is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that all issues, including tariff-related matters, are amicably and permanently resolved.”
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.
He appealed to IBEDC to find a lasting solution to the problem.
