EEDC protests against suspension by TCN

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has faulted its suspension from the Market Operator Administered Markets by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

TCN, in a statement last Thursday, suspended EEDC over what it called the breach in “the matter of non-compliance with the condition of market rules and market participation agreements.”

The order, dated June 24, 2019, and signed by E. A. Eje, said the suspension was based on Markets Rules 45.3.9, 45.3.12 and 45.3.13.Part of the order read: “The restriction of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company intake from the national grid through a disconnection order to the Transmission Service Provider to disconnect some facilities of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company until the event of default stated in NIISO/2019/002 is remedied…”

Protesting the order in a statement made available to The Guardian in Enugu, Deputy Managing Director of EEDC,  Mr. Paul Okeke, said it was aimed at embarrassing the company in the eyes of its customers, adding that they were not given fair-hearing.

He said EEDC management had engaged in a series of meetings with the Market Operator over the security cover, where an agreement was reached that it would be made available before the end of June 2019.He said: “Barely four days to the time agreed by parties for the security cover to be delivered, Market Operator (MO) without recourse to EEDC, went ahead to cause a publication to be placed on their behalf announcing suspension of EEDC as a market participant.”

It urged the market operator to vacate the suspension order and retract the publication already made, saying the company was making arrangements to procure and deliver the security cover.