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 .
Mr Oyebode Fadipe , AEDC ’ s General Manager, Corporate Communications gave the
explanation while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN ) on Sunday in Abuja .
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 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 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,
Fadipe said that the issue was not alien to them .
He said that in Abuja, network was underground and AEDC had to buy specialised
vehicle to be able to trace any fault on those cables.
“ We have a specialised 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 .