Due to unauthorized connections and open energy theft by some community members, Aba Power Limited, a subsidiary of Geometric Power, has been losing over N100 million per month to 14 communities in Obingwa Local Council of Abia State. Nine of the 17 government districts in Abia State receive their electricity from the Aba Power Plant.
In response to assertions made by certain unidentified residents of the areas that they had not had access to electricity since last weekend, managing director of Aba Power Patrick Umeh said: “It is unfair that these persons have failed to honour the invitation from Aba Power Limited to agree on how to end the pervasive energy theft in their councils, which amounts to about N100 million monthly.”
In recognition of the fact that some manufacturing companies are situated there and “also of the fact that these communities, during the years when EEDC was the responsible distribution company in the area, made commendable efforts to provide distribution transformers to serve their communities,” Umeh claims that the electricity distribution company has gone above and beyond to ensure that the communities receive at least 20 hours of quality power daily.
Umeh highlighted that in order to maintain consistency in product and quality control, prominent manufacturing and multinational firms in the region that produce noodles, refined vegetable oil, and plastic items need stable power for extended periods of time.
“It is not appropriate,” he said, “for the leaders of these villages to refuse to pay for the electricity delivered and consumed on the basis that they contributed transformers in the past, when the area was served by a former distribution firm.
If the affected villages’ officials promise to stop the enormous energy theft, Umeh said his business would be willing to link the communities “even this very minute.”
“We want all the factories, offices, and households in our distribution franchise area to have access to electricity for 24 hours every day, not just 20,” he said.
