The Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) has directed Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) to immediately disconnect 13 transformer installation projects connected without compliance to statutory regulatory standards.
NEMSA is the government agency mandated by the provisions of the NEMSA Act, 2015 to enforce compliance by all operators in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) with the law making it mandatory for statutory inspection, testing, and certification of all projects in the electricity sector in the country.
The agency has accused Enugu DISCO of “incessant and flagrant disregard for these technical standards in contravention of the enabling Act and the Nigerian Electricity Supply and Installation Standards Regulation 2015.
In an enforcement notice to the Management of EEDC issued on Friday in Abuja and signed by its spokesperson, Ama Umoren, NEMSA listed 13 33kV and 11kV Transformer installation projects within the company’s coverage zone that have been connected to the national grid without compliance with regulatory standards.
The projects included a 500kVA, 33/0.415kV substation at the Nigeria Immigrations Services office along Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway, Emene, Enugu; a 200kVA, 33/0,415kV substation at mart plaza, Enugu-PH Expressway, Independence Layout Phase 2, Enugu; a 300kVA, 33/0.415kV substation at a Palm Kernel factory, Centenary City junction, Enugu-PH Expressway, Enugu; a 100kVA, 33/0.415kV pole mounted substation connected to a residential/hotel building along Centenary City Road, before Centenary City gate, off Enugu-PH Expressway, Enugu; a 500kVA, 33/0.415kV substation at Heliu Estate, opposite Centenary City junction, Enugu-PH Expressway, Enugu; a 500kVA, 33/0.415kV substation at the Plaza opposite Majestic Suites, Centenary Street, off Centenary City Road, Enugu, and a 500kVA, 33/0.415kV substation at the Centenary Street junction connected to the RMU, before centenary City gate, Enugu.
Others are a 300kVA, 33/0.415kV substation at Elshammah Estate gate, off Centenary City Road, Enugu; a 200kVA, 33/0.415kV substation at the Plaza opposite Jedidiah Estate, off Centenary City Road, Enugu; a 500kVA, 33/0.415kV substation at Emmanuel Garden Estate, off Centenary City Road, Enugu; a 100kVA, 33/0.415kV substation at Terisco Oil and Gas plant, by Army checkpoint, Independence Layout Bypass, Enugu-PH Expressway, Enugu; a 100kVA, 33/0,415kV substation at NNPC petrol station, Ugwogo-opi Road before Elim Estate, Enugu, and a 50kVA, 33/0,415kV substation at Final Point Hotel, Enugu.
NEMSA said after expressing concern in a public notice issued recently over EEDC’s nonchalant attitude towards redressing the issues raised about the affected projects, it decided to direct the company to immediately disconnect those transformers connected to the system without due compliance with statutory inspection, testing, and certification by its engineers.
“By the law establishing NEMSA, the agency is authorised to, among other things, enforce compliance with the technical standards for all electrical installations, electrical plants, including power plants and ancillary systems, electricity networks and connectivity to the grid, provide sustained technical inspection, testing and certification of all electrical materials, (including transformer oil and chemicals) or equipment, power systems, networks (generation, transmission and distribution), or electrical installations to be used in the power sector, to ensure a stable system to deliver safe, reliable, regular power supply as well as guarantee safety of lives and property in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI)”, Mrs Umoren said.
She said NEMSA is also mandated to regularly carry out periodic inspection, monitoring and assessment of existing power plants or stations, installations, Extra High Voltage (EHV) and High Voltage (HV) transmission lines and associated transmitting or switching stations and distribution networks, to ensure they are in regular fitness to generate, transmit, distribute and deliver reliable and safe power supply to the electricity consumers nationwide as well as safeguard lives and property by ensuring compliance with technical standards and safety requirements in the use of electrical materials and networks and connection to the grid.
