The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Ibom Power company in Akwa Ibom State, Meyen Etukudo, has stated that the prolonged power outage in the state is due to lack of gas supply and the disconnection of the Aba-Itu transmission line.

The state has had a prolonged power outage which has lasted for more than ten days now, leading to the folding up of many small-scale businesses in the state.

Addressing newsmen in his office in Uyo on Thursday, Etukudoh attributed the power outage in the state to a lack of gas supply to Ibom Power Company and

He explained that whenever there is a lack of gas supply, Akwa Ibom receives power from the national grid only through the Aba-Itu Transmission line which he noted has become old and snaps occasionally.

He said “The gas supplier to Ibom Power, Savannah Energy, is conducting maintenance on its gas pipeline so it cannot supply gas to Ibom Power.

“Since there’s no gas, the Ibom power plant is currently down until the gas is restored. When Ibom power is down, Akwa Ibom receives power from the national grid only through the Aba – Itu transmission line. That line is old, so in the process of transmitting power from the national grid into the state, it snapped i.e. there was a disconnection.

“Since Ibom power is down due to lack of gas supply and the transmission line that brings supply from the national grid is also down, there is no source of power supply to Akwa Ibom state, hence the power outage for some days now.”

He, however, stated that the power outage would be restored soon as the transmission company of Nigeria is working on the line while Ibom Power is waiting for Savannah Energy to complete their maintenance and restore gas supply.

He added, “TCN is working on the line. Ibom Power is waiting for Savannah Energy to complete their maintenance and restore gas supply while PHEDC is waiting to get the power from Ibom Power or their national grid or to distribute in Akwa Ibom state.”

The Managing Director however recommended the reconductoring of the old transmission line between Aba – Itu which is the only source of power supply from the national grid to Akwa Ibom state.

He hinted that Nigeria’s power sector is a value chain, adding that different companies have different roles as a company and cannot do the work of another otherwise it would be violating its operating license.

“There are “gas companies, power generation companies, transmission companies and distribution companies. Gas is the fuel for some power generation companies like Ibom Power Company Ltd. Ibom Power is licensed to only generate electricity. TCN transmits the power to distribution companies like Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution PLC.

“It is the distribution company, like PHEDC, that gives power to customers directly that’s why it’s the name of PHEDC that’s on the electricity bill, not Ibom Power. So, Ibom Power cannot repair transmission lines for TCN because transmission lines belong to TCN,” he said.

PUNCH