The Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) has called on Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to prioritise repairs of defective networks reported to them in their areas of coverage.
NEMSA made the call in its February report on safety ranking of DISCOs and Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) obtained by The Tide source in Abuja, Wednesday.
The report released by the Managing Director of NEMSA, Mr Peter Ewesor, also urged the DISCOs to make their notifications on verification to the agency weekly instead of monthly.
He said it was important for operators of the power sector to urgently address the factors responsible for electrical accidents in the country.
According to him, many of the factors responsible for the accidents include system protection equipment failures, poor response to monitored networks and use of substandard materials.
He further listed vandalism, total absence of protection devices, non-adherence to safety rules and regulations, inadequate knowledge and ignorance on the part of operators, consumers and the public.
Ewesor also identified poor maintenance of ageing networks as well as issues on right-of-way.
He, however, said a total of 266 bad networks had been resolved by the DISCOs and TCN, while a total of three fatalities and seven injuries were recorded in the month of February.
Ewesor urged operators in the sector to note that NEMSA had set a zero target on electrocution nationwide.
According to him, DISCOs are to also intensify their efforts to revamp and standardise their protection schemes and equipment, educate the general public on the need for extreme caution, while using electricity.
He said it was also germane for them to rectify defective networks to prevent electrical accidents and reduce technical losses.
“Do not build structures or carry out activities under power lines, avoid contact with electric poles, TV antenna poles, conductors and other electrical equipment installed in the open.
“Avoid staying under trees with conductors running over such trees. Avoid climbing masts constructed close to power lines among other safety measures,’’ Ewesors advised.
He urged Nigerians to report incidences of any fallen electric poles or conductors to the nearest electricity utility company or to any NEMSA office nearest to them.