Why We Cut-off Power Supply During Rainfall

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), says that it cuts-off electricity supply most times when it rains to save lives, properties and to protect its equipment.

Oyebode Fadipe, AEDC’s General Manager, Corporate Communications, gave the explanation while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Fadipe was reacting to complaints by consumers that whenever it rained, electricity supply was cut-off for days.

“The issue of electricity supply going off, especially when it rains could be viewed from two perspectives, which could be electricity lines and poles being pulled down by the rains or some other major interruption.

“To avoid any form of destruction to lives and properties, the system is programmed to go off when it is about to rain.

“Customers would have also observed that after rain, attempt is made to restore the supply which is called “ flashing’’

“If we try to restore supply and it is not stable, it means that maybe a pole or two is broken and the conductor is lying on the ground,” he said.

According to him, AEDC’s duty is to look for the problem and try to restore supply as the speed of repair is totally different from the speed when destruction takes place.

He said that when the network for one reason or the other is impaired, it would take a bit of time to bring back the poles, string the lines and other things needed to restore power.

Speaking on the issue of laying cable underground as was being done in other countries, Mr Fadipe said that the issue was not alien to them.

He said that in Abuja, the network was underground and AEDC had to buy a specialised vehicle to be able to trace any fault on those cables.

“We have a specilised vehicle which when you connect a motorised equipment to even if the fault is at Sheraton Hotel, it will give us the location.

“We have invested in equipment, unlike the old practice before privatisation when there is a fault, we will have to dig from one point to the other and you destroy the roads.

“And also, most of our network is overhead so that you don’t have to destroy the roads and you don’t have to spike the cables,” he said.

He, however, assured consumers that AEDC was working on ensuring effective power supply in the territory.

(NAN)