By OLATUNDE AJAYI

The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc (IBEDC) has apologised for the inconvenience caused by ongoing power supply challenges across its franchise.

The apology is contained in a statement issued by the IBEDC Public Relations Officer, Daniel Adugbo, on Saturday in Ibadan.

Adugbo attributed the situation largely to challenges affecting power generation and supply from the national grid.

According to him, gas supply shortages to power generating plants have reduced generation capacity nationwide, resulting in increased load shedding across the network.

He said electricity demand within the IBEDC franchise had risen significantly in recent months, particularly following the addition of more Band A feeders in line with regulatory directives.

“Energy allocation from the national grid has remained unstable and subject to periodic declines, creating a wider gap between available supply and customer demand.

“As a result, some communities within our franchise are experiencing supply shortfalls.

“We fully understand the frustration this has generated among our customers and sincerely apologise for the disruption to homes, businesses and economic activities,” he said.

Adugbo said the continued epileptic power supply had triggered protests in some communities within the franchise.

He appealed for calm and urged customers to embrace dialogue as efforts intensify to address the situation.

“We appeal to our valued customers and communities to embrace dialogue rather than protest.

“IBEDC has been engaging community leaders and stakeholders across our coverage areas to foster mutual understanding and work towards sustainable solutions,” he said.

The spokesperson assured customers that the company had begun engaging relevant stakeholders in the power value chain to address the imbalance in energy allocation, restore grid stability and improve electricity supply. (NAN)