PHED Takes Drastic Stand On Vandalised Transformers

The management of Port
Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED), has declared that, henceforth, before any transformer would be replaced, indebted customers of the affected transformer would have settled all their outstanding bills or made a minimum payment of 70 per cent with a payment plan for the balance.
A statement by the Team Lead, Corporate Communications of PHED, John Onye, said the firm took this drastic position as a check on the spate of transformer vandalism and its attendant loss on the firm.
“With the payment of the outstanding bills, the company would deploy new transformer for replacement”, it stated.
According to the release, Chief Executive Officer of the firm, Jay McCoskey, had at a recent product launch in Port Harcourt, decried the activities of vandals, noting that their activities were responsible for the unnecessary darkness suffered by its customers across its areas of coverage.
According to him, PHED had between June and October, 2016 lost a total number of 92 transformers through armored cable removal, draining of oil, describing the situation as pathetic.
The highest on the list, it said, was Promised City Main, Uyo 40 cases, Garden City Main, Borikiri and Paradise City Main, Calabar had 38 and 14 issues respectively.
It regretted that when such transformers are vandalized, customers always come to the office to seek for immediate replacement and advised customers to step up vigilante in their communities over PHED installations noting that vandals were in the habit of invading the facilities at unholy hours.
The release equally advised affected neighborhoods not to engage in self help by contributing money to buy new transformer.
“What customers are expected to do is just to pay for their bills through the various payment channels recognized by the company”.
“Also, in some areas where transformers failed due to over loading and illegal reconnections, the same policy would be applied to them”, the statement said.
According to the release, a team has been set up to interface with affected customers, in an effort to reinforce the company’s stand.

Chris Oluoh