Following the recent power outages, electricity customers have decried massive losses incurred during the extended power failure in Kaduna, Kano, and other states in the north for the month of October 2024.

According to one of the companies in Kaduna, RH Plastic, which supplies food and oil packaging materials, the production line suffered losses amounting to ?60 million during the 10-day blackout and is demanding compensation and a lasting solution to the menace.

Speaking to journalists in Kaduna at the Customers’ Complaint Summit organised by the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) after making the company’s submission to the officials yesterday, Head of Manufacturing and Maintenance, Sanjeev Kumar, and Vaibhav Lakhole expressed frustration over the inability to operate due to the prolonged power outage.

The company reported significant setbacks, including raw material wastage, machinery downtime, and production halts, as restarting the machines and other equipment after prolonged stoppages also required substantial electricity, further compounding the losses.

Kumar said: “As a production company, we rely heavily on consistent power to meet the demands of our esteemed customers. Running our machines on generators is unsustainable because of the prohibitive costs. This outage paralyzed our operations and caused substantial financial losses.”We are among the biggest consumers of Kaduna Electric, using over 500,000 kWh of electricity

Monthly and paying nearly ?100 million for it. Yet, this outage caused process wastages, quality defects, and unmet customer demands that have severely dented our business and balance sheet.”RH Plastics is not only demanding compensation but is also seeking concrete resolutions to prevent a recurrence of such disruptions,” just as he stressed the need “for Kaduna Electric to address issues like power fluctuations, low voltage, and unexpected outages, which have significantly impacted our company’s productivity and profitability.”

Meanwhile, the Commissioner in charge of Consumer Affairs at the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Hajiya Aisha Mahmud, said it is unfair for customers to demand compensation from the Distribution Company for a fault that is not that of the power authorities.

Mahmud said: “The Electricity Company can only compensate if it is the fault of the utility, where customers could not get the supply of hours dedicated to their band,” noting that efforts are ongoing to Improve power supply across the country to arrest the epileptic distribution and meet customers’ power needs.

“On the issue of power outage, we have had the issue of grid collapsing recently, which most of you are aware of, and it is basically not the fault of the distribution company. So, since it’s not the fault of the distribution company, it would be unfair to ask DISCO to compensate those customers for no fault of theirs.

“But if it is the fault of the utility and maybe our customers are supposed to be on ‘Band A,’ and they have refused to supply the hours dedicated to these customers, then of course they are entitled to compensation.

“You know, in a couple of months, we see a lot of feeders being downgraded and some being upgraded due to the hours of power that they receive. But on the issue of grid collapsing, because it’s not the fault of DISCO, we cannot ask them to compensate customers because it’s really not within their control.”

Earlier, the Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, harped on the need to improve power supply in the state and beyond to meet the needs of residents.

Represented by Idris Aminu Idris, Managing Director of Kaduna State Power Supply Company (KAPSCO), the governor disclosed that the Kaduna State government has invested billions of naira since the commencement of power sector reforms.

He said that reliable power supply is the cornerstone of any modern society. Its inadequacy continues to hinder socio-economic and technological advancement, affecting the livelihoods and well-being of our citizens.

He added, “Understanding the pivotal role of electricity in economic growth, we have taken deliberate steps to promote the ease of doing business in Kaduna State, attracting investors—including Kaduna Electric—who are critical to the development of our economy.

“As a major customer of Kaduna Electric, the state has demonstrated its commitment to fostering this partnership. This includes engaging with the Distribution Company on electricity matters and providing key interventions to enhance power distribution for our residents through the Kaduna State Power Supply Company (KAPSCO), which is tasked with implementing the state’s power mandate.

These interventions have been substantial, such as the purchase and installation of transformers across communities and public facilities. To date, the state government has invested billions of naira since the commencement of power sector reforms. Our administration is also working on adapting an electricity policy, which will be a vital step towards achieving our vision of active participation in the energy sectors.

“This policy outlines the market framework, stakeholder roles, and institutional frameworks needed to define and sustain our energy responsibilities. I urge all stakeholders—including the Distribution Company, customers, NERC, and, most importantly, our citizens—to work together in good faith. By doing so, we can ensure the sustainability of power supply and extend distribution networks to underserved communities within Kaduna State and beyond.” (The Guardian)