The Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) has reported steady improvements in its financial and operational performance following the restoration of power supply, recovering from the significant disruptions caused by the recent nationwide blackout.
The company was among four electricity distribution companies in Nigeria’s North East and North West regions severely affected during the September-October 2024 billing cycle, with KEDCO experiencing the most impact.
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According to KEDCO, its operations were disrupted on October 13, 2024, when the Shiroro-Kaduna 330kV transmission line suffered an incident, reducing grid allocation to 40 percent.
The situation worsened with a total blackout on October 20, which coincided with the peak of KEDCO’s revenue collection cycle.
While power was partially restored to 40 percent capacity by October 30, full recovery has been gradual, with supply levels reaching 85 percent as of November 14. The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) continues repair efforts on the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line.
The blackout had far-reaching consequences, leading to KEDCO’s worst market performance this year.
The company cited significant financial and economic challenges for its customers, many of whom turned to costly backup power sources or halted operations entirely.
“In our best-performing months, we recorded a sharp reduction in ATC&C losses by over 20 percent , achieving a record 40 percent . We aim to return to those levels,” KEDCO stated.
Despite the challenges, the company has seen a boost in collections from arrears since power supply reached 85 percent . KEDCO has appealed to customers to continue paying outstanding and current bills to sustain its operations.
“We commend the resilience of our customers and remain committed to providing them with safe and reliable electricity,” the company said.
It also acknowledged the intervention of the Minister of Power, who visited during the crisis, and praised TCN and the federal government for their efforts to restore power and improve grid reliability.
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Looking ahead, KEDCO plans to drive investments in embedded generation and improve service delivery through its Safe Grid and Utility 2.0 projects.
These initiatives, developed in collaboration with the tri-state governments under the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), aim to enhance the redundancy and safety of the grid.
The company has also reiterated its commitment to improving performance and has called for continued cooperation from customers to actualize its vision for a more sustainable power supply system.
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