KEDCO financial performance improves power restoration
…Appeals for prompt payment of outstanding bills
CHIGOZIE AMADI
Kano Electricity Distribution Plc (KEDCO) has reported steady improvements in its financial and operational performance following the restoration of power supply.
This marks a recovery from the severe disruptions experienced during the September–October 2024 billing cycle, caused by widespread blackouts.
Sani Bala Sani, Head of Corporate Communication at KEDCO, disclosed this in a statement shared with the press.
The company, alongside three other electricity distribution companies in the North East and North West, faced significant power disruptions in October, with KEDCO being the most affected.
KEDCO’s operations were initially impacted on October 13, 2024, when only 40% of its grid allocation was supplied due to the Shiroro-Kaduna 330kV transmission line incident.
The situation worsened with a total blackout on October 20, 2024, which coincided with the peak of its revenue collection cycle. While partial power restoration to 40% was achieved by October 30, full supply levels—approximately 85%—were only restored by November 14.
The company is still awaiting the complete repair of the Shiroro-Kaduna line.
“This incident resulted in our worst market performance this year,” Sani said. “Zero grid supply caused severe financial and operational challenges for KEDCO and our customers, many of whom had to rely on costly backup power or shut down their operations entirely.”
Despite these setbacks, KEDCO is optimistic about returning to its best-performing months, when its Aggregate Technical, Commercial, and Collection (ATC&C) losses dropped by over 20% to a record low of 40%.
“With the current power supply restored to around 85%, we have seen significant collections from arrears last month.
“We appeal to our customers to continue supporting us by promptly settling their current bills and outstanding payments to ensure business sustainability,” Sani added.
KEDCO expressed gratitude to its customers for their resilience during the crisis and reaffirmed its commitment to providing safe and reliable electricity.
The company also acknowledged the timely intervention of the Honourable Minister of Power and appreciated the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) for its restoration efforts.
Additionally, KEDCO praised the Federal Government’s commitment to enhancing the redundancy and safety of the national grid.
Looking ahead, KEDCO’s management emphasized its commitment to driving investments and improving performance through initiatives such as embedded generation supply options and projects like Safe Grid and Utility 2.0.
These efforts, in collaboration with tri-state governments and under the guidance of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), are aimed at creating a more reliable and sustainable energy network.
KEDCO concluded its statement by appealing for continued customer cooperation to realize these goals.
