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There is outrage from Nigerians as substantial parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and Nasarawa have been plunged into darkness on day 1 of the two-week electricity supply disruption announced by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company and the Transmission Company of Nigeria.
Residents and business owners are decrying losses amounting to billions of Naira as the outage kicked off.
The Eastern Updates also reported three days ago that AEDC announced a two-week blackout, which commenced on Monday, 6 January, 2025. TCN re-echoed the outage.
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Both AEDC and TCN confirmed in separate statements that the outage is due to the relocation of the 33KV DC Airport Feeder and 132KV Kukwaba-Apo Transmission Line Towers along the Outer Southern Motorway.
However, TCN noted that the development will lead to power-shedding or rationing.
AEDC, TCN had announced that Kapwa, NNPC, Games Village, National Stadium, Eye Clinic, Indoor Complex, Christ Embassy Church, American International School, Spring Court, American Embassy Quarters, EFCC HQ, Coca Cola, Railway, and FMC, and parts of Apo will experience power load shedding or power rotation.
Other areas affected by the outage are parts of Gudu, Gbazango & environs; parts of Kubwa, Bwari & environs; parts of Jahi; parts of Jabi; Karu, Nyanya, Mararaba, and Keffi & environs.
AEDC irresponsible – Nigerians
The situation sparked anger from electricity consumers within the affected areas.
Mabel Michael, a resident of Kubwa, lamented that it is irresponsible on the part of AEDC not to have looked for a viable alternative to the two-week outage.
“I just wonder how we would cope, especially with our perishables. AEDC is irresponsible,” she stated.
Benjamin Eze, a trader in UTC, said he spent so much to buy fuel for his generator owing to the outage.
“Honestly, I think it is disgraceful that we still hear of such things in Nigeria. There would have been other alternatives,” he stated.
Speaking exclusively with Newsmen on Monday, President of the Nigerian Consumer Protection Network, Kunle Olubiyo, bemoaned AEDC, describing the outage as shameful and disheartening.
According to him, it is unimaginable that in the 21st century, relocation of transmission substations is done without a proper stringing plan in place.
He noted that TCN would have used planned stringing, which can be done within a day or two days.
“To be candid, it is shameful, disheartening, and unimaginable that in the 21st century, we have thrown caution to the wind as long as developmental planning of infrastructure is concerned.
“It is not done anywhere where there is relocation without proper stringing. What would have been done is stringing.
“It means that you have an existing network, you build another location, and then you string from X to Y. Abuja is a planned city, and nothing comes by accident.
“We all agree that the network expansion is not commensurate with urban growth.
“Stringing can be done within a day or two.
“We have received several messages from women folks outside businesses.
“Those major concerns are those with perishable items that cannot sustain their businesses on generators, especially with the high cost of petrol and diesel. It is at great cost to businesses.
“If we want to move the substation, a smart cityscape should have proper planning.
“In this case, the old substation would have been left to be in a circuit, and then the new one would be built. Then, run the network at the point of stringing. The wire will just be strung from old to new.
“Not that you will now obstruct the substation. People should be held accountable for this recklessness and negligence in developmental planning. It is unacceptable,” he told The Eastern Updates.