- Residents in the Aba Ringfence experienced a power outage after a gas supply disruption from Heirs Energies.
- Aba Power quickly switched to an alternative power source, but not all areas have been restored with electricity.
Residents in the Aba Ringfence, covering nine of the 17 local government areas (LGAs) in Abia State, experienced their first power outage recently after 31 consecutive days of uninterrupted power supply.
The Aba Power Managing Director, Ugo Opiegbe, confirmed the disruption and offered an apology to the affected customers. He explained that the outage was caused by a loss of gas supply from Heirs Energies, which has been partnering with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to provide the necessary power for the region.
Opiegbe did not specify the exact cause of the gas supply interruption but indicated that vandals may have been responsible. Reliable sources revealed that the Eastern Gas Network, which supplies the Aba Ringfence, was targeted by criminals searching for crude oil and petroleum products to steal.
According to Opiegbe, oil and gas pipelines are often laid together, making it difficult for thieves to distinguish between the two, damaging the gas supply infrastructure. While the power outage impacted several areas, Opiegbe assured residents that Aba Power had swiftly resolved the situation.
The company switched to an alternative power supply from the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) to restore electricity in some parts of the Aba Ringfence. However, he noted that the NDPHC supply is limited, and not all areas have received power.
Despite this, he emphasised that Aba Power is committed to ensuring all nine LGAs in the region will have access to continuous electricity once again. “We deeply apologise to our numerous customers who have been enjoying ceaseless supplies since December 17, making them the first electricity consumers in Nigeria to experience such uninterrupted service in several years,” Opiegbe said in a telephone interview.
He assured customers that the company would not rest until the entire, uninterrupted power supply was restored throughout the Aba Ringfence. This incident highlights the growing issue of attacks on critical infrastructure in Nigeria, including electricity, telecommunications, and petroleum facilities.
Recently, President Bola Tinubu’s office in the State House in Abuja was plunged into darkness after vandals targeted the transmission facilities in the Federal Capital Territory. These attacks are becoming increasingly common, causing significant disruptions to essential services.
Opiegbe concluded by reiterating his commitment to restoring power to all affected areas and ensuring that customers continue to receive the high-quality service they have come to expect from Aba Power. He thanked residents for their patience and understanding during this challenging time.