Dutse - The Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN)
says it has concluded arrangments to establish seven additional
distribution stations in the north-west zone.
Alhaji Muhammad Balogun, the Managing Director, Kano Electricity
Distribution Company, said this on Thursday at a town hall meeting with
electricity consumers in Dutse.
Balogun said the new stations would be set up in Kano, Katsina and
Jigawa to boost power distribution capacity in the benefiting states.
He said the project was designed to enhance distribution injunction capacity to 700 MVA, as against the existing 584 MVA.
The Director listed the projects to include 7.5 MVA injunction
sub-station, Hadejia, 15 MVA injuction sub-station, Wudil, 7.5 MVA
injunction transformer, Dutse and the upgrading of 7.5 MVA IBB injuction
sub-station, Katsina.
Others include the installation of 17.5 MVA and 33 / 11KV transformers at three substations in Katsina and Kano.
"The projects will facilitate smooth running of small scale industries in Kano and other benefiting states," Balogun said.
Balogun, however, decried the non challant attitude of electricity
consumers in settling bills, adding that the trend was inimical to the
sustainable growth of the company.
"Despite our effort to serve our customers and make them happy,
customers' respond in terms of payment of services is not encouraging,"
he added.
The manager appealed to customers to ensure prompt settlement of bills to keep the company running.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was organised
by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to sensitise
communities on PHCN scope of operation and receive complaints
and suggestion on how to improve power supply in the
country.
Participants at the Workshop were drawn from Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States.
Some of the participants, who spoke at the forum, advised the company to
check outrageous billing so as to boost it revenue generation.
Hadiza Abdullahi, a resident of Hadejia, Jigawa, said outrageous billing discouraged customers from settling their bills.
"It is disheartening to pay for the services, which was not rendered.
Proper and correct billing will encourage prompt settlement of bills,"
she said.