Residents in Yenagoa on Tuesday
expressed hope that the lifting of the sanctions imposed on the Port Harcourt
Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) by the Transmission Company of Nigeria
(TCN) would translate to improved power supply.
TCN on Tuesday announced the lifting
of a Suspension Order from the electricity market it placed on the PHEDC since
July 27,for breach of 'Market Conditions/participation Agreement.
According to the TCN notice
available on its portal, the lifting of the sanction which followed PHEDC's
compliance took effect on Monday.
The PHEDC and TCN had been shifting
blames on the poor power supply in Bayelsa, with TCN saying that the PHEDC was
unable to take up available power at its substation in Yenagoa while the PHEDC
alleged that it was not getting enough power from the TCN grid.
The face-off subsequently led to the
sanction by the TCN.
Some residents in Yenagoa, Bayelsa
capital said that the consumers were the ones bearing the brunt of the
disagreement between TCN and PHEDC adding that small businesses were the worst
hit.
Ebikeme Joseph , a barber while
reacting to the development said that the resolution was a welcome development
as he expects improved power supply.
"I really do not understand how
the power sector works but it is interesting to know that PHEDC can also be
called to order by other parties. The power situation in Bayelsa has forced
many small businesses to close shop.
"I hope they sit up and improve
on their services and make the atmosphere suitable for us," Joseph.
Mr Seyefa Bio , who resides in Opolo
area of Yenagoa said that he was not optimistic that the suspension of the
sanction would make any difference as the company lacks the capacity to serve
the people of Bayelsa.
"I am not enthused about the
lifting of the suspension, it will not make any difference because over the
years the PHEDC has operated the sysystem of estimated billing and compelling
millions of customers to pay for power not consumed against the rules of the
regulators.
"This same company was fined
for N35,million by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission in 2016 for
failure to submit its audited accounts for three consecutive years, so you see
why I am not optimistic ?",Bio said.
However, Mr John Onyi, Spokesman of
PHEDC in a reaction to the development said that the lifting of the suspension
would improve the service delivery of the power distribution company adding
that the company was weighed down by a debt of about N161 bn.
Onyi said that residential customers
in Bayelsa were owing the firm over N146 bn while the debt stock for commercial
customers stood at about N14.6 bn.
He noted that the indebtedness by
its customers was hampering the operations of the company.
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