By Becky Usman

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) has clarified that the extended power outage affecting the entirety of Imo State, lasting nine days, is a result of organized labor’s industrial action beyond the company’s control. In a statement issued by Mr. Emeka Ezeh, the Head of Corporate Communications at EEDC, the company expressed empathy towards its customers in Imo State.

Ezeh explained that the disruption stems from the closure of the Egbu Transmission Station by the Labor Union, which serves as EEDC’s power source for the state. Consequently, the company is unable to receive power from Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Stations and distribute it to customers in Imo State.

“We can only distribute the power that we receive from TCN Stations, and in this case, the station catering for our customers in Imo State has been shut down by the Labor Union,” Ezeh stated.

He acknowledged the challenges posed by this situation, causing hardship and inconvenience for the company, its staff, and customers in Imo State. EEDC expressed hope for a swift resolution to the ongoing issue between the concerned parties.

Ezeh emphasized the company’s limited capacity to act in these circumstances, resulting in substantial revenue losses running into millions of Naira. He clarified that EEDC does not bill customers for services not rendered, addressing concerns about billing during the outage.

“The impact of the power outage currently experienced will reflect on the December bill, which will be for energy consumed in the month of November,” Ezeh explained, reassuring customers that the November bill, pertaining to energy consumed in October, is unrelated to the ongoing power situation.

Despite the challenges, Ezeh urged customers to remain vigilant and protect electricity infrastructure from potential vandalism during the outage. The closure of the Egbu Transmission Station by the labor union last week left EEDC without a power source, plunging the entire Imo State into darkness.