The Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) has pushed back against mounting frustration over the flickering lights and prolonged blackouts in Edo, pointing an accusing finger at constraints from the national grid.
In a statement issued in Benin, the company’s spokesperson, Mrs. Evelyn Gbiwen, made it clear that the worsening power situation is not of BEDC’s making.
According to her, the distribution company is merely dancing to the tune of a shrinking power allocation from the grid.
She conceded that homes have been thrown into darkness, businesses forced to run on fumes, and hospitals left to juggle life-saving operations amid epileptic supply. Still, she insisted the outages are not a calculated move by the company.
“The present outage and load shedding being experienced are not deliberate actions by BEDC, but a direct consequence of power allocation from the national grid,” Gbiwen said.
She explained that BEDC has suffered a steep drop in electricity allocation, compelling it to ration supply through load management in accordance with service level agreements tied to various customer bands.
“The current supply challenge is a national phenomenon affecting distribution companies nationwide, arising from grid constraints beyond the control of BEDC,” she said.
Responding to murmurs that Edo is being shortchanged, Gbiwen dismissed such claims as smoke without fire. She noted that the state has historically commanded a significant slice of the company’s daily energy supply.
“Contrary to insinuations in some quarters, the situation is not targeted at oppressing our esteemed customers in Edo or any part of our network.
“Historically and presently, Edo accounts for a large portion of BEDC’s total daily energy allocation,” she said.
While consumers groan under the weight of darkness, BEDC says it is not folding its arms. The company revealed it is working hand in glove with relevant stakeholders to steady the ship and trim the frequency of disruptions.
Gbiwen added that BEDC is ramping up its metering campaign to stamp out estimated billing and boost transparency.
“As part of our commitment to service improvement and transparency, the company continues to intensify its metering drive to eliminate estimated billing and enhance customer confidence,” she said.
She assured customers that the firm remains committed to fair power distribution, safeguarding infrastructure, and delivering improved service.
For now, however, BEDC is asking residents to keep faith and exercise patience as efforts continue to wrestle with the grid constraints squeezing the nation’s power supply.
