EEDC laments power outage in Abia communities

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), yesterday, explained the reasons several communities in Abia State have been in darkness.

Spokesman for EEDC, Mr. Emeka Eze, said the outage was a result of an accident involving a Toyota Corolla car at Ohiya in Umuahia South Local Government Area of the state.

According to him, the accident destroyed about 14 high tension poles, including five 40-feet poles, with cross arms, pot insulators, stays, disc insulators and J-hooks, and consequently affected their Obowo, Nkwoegwu, and Ntigha 33KV feeders, as well as the adjoining Nkwoegwu, Amaogwugwu, Abiriba, Amachara and Ekenobis 11KV feeders.

He also listed the affected communities as Nkwoegwu, Uzuakoli, Isiukwuato, Ntigha, Mbawsi, Ngwa, Abiriba, Amaogwugwu, Mgbaja Osa, Ogbodi Ukwu, Ogbogi Umuonya, Umuekwule Umuokpara, Dike Nta, Dike Ukwu, Ehume, Ogbodinibe and Umuajameze, amongst others.

According to him, the EEDC team immediately isolated the affected network for the safety of lives while the incident was reported at the Central Police Station, Umuahia, for further investigations.

He lamented that the accident had impacted negatively on EEDC operations across the southeast zone.

He said: “We record several cases of vehicular accidents along our major highways, leading to the destruction of electricity infrastructure and subjecting our customers to inconveniences.

“Apart from the destruction of our installations, some of these accidents led to the loss of lives and damage of property even as at times caused electrocution or fire outbreak.”

Eze further stressed that efforts were to replace the damaged poles and line accessories towards restoring power supplies to the affected communities.