Power generation hits 4,829.5 MW; DisCos evacuate 3,376 MW as TCN workers begin strike
Oredola Adeola
Despite the proposed electricity industrial actions by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) staff over conditions of service and other worker’s welfare issues, peak power generation hit 4,829.50 MegaWatts(MW), as the Transmission Company of Nigeria(TCN) transmitted 3,376.00MW to the eleven electricity Distribution Companies as of 1pm on Wednesday.
This was based on data obtained by EnergyDay on Wednesday, against the backdrop of the plan by the workers to shut down TCN’s operation during the strike.
Recall that the workers under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) threatened to embark on an indefinite strike by the organized labor under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees, (NUEE) over pending labor issues with the management of TCN.
The Union, in a circular with number 012/2020, dated 15-08-2022, and signed by Joe Ajaero, NUEE, General Secretary, said the action became imminent due to the directive of the TCN board that all staff and all Principal Managers (PMs) in acting capacity going to Assistant General Managers (AGMs) must appear for promotional interview.
Earlier, some electricity distribution companies (DisCos) issued a statement regarding the strike, advising their customers to expect blackouts if the strike continues.
While EnergyDay is monitoring the situation across the country, our correspondent gathered that electricity is being supplied to customers as of the time of writing this report.
However, EnergyDay gathered that the appeal by the MD/CEO, Engr. Dr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, of TCN, to the workers to suspend the industrial action, was disregarded.
In addition, Goddy Jedy-Agba, Minister of State for Power, in a letter addressed to the NUEE, appealed to the union to allow two weeks of dialogue to resolve the grievances.
He said, “The Ministry of Power takes cognisance of your complaints therein and is committed to offering solutions that will be acceptable to all parties concerned.”
Ajaero, in his response to the request by the TCN MD and the Minister, said, “It was disheartening that three years down the line, an agreement reached with the union as a result of the intervention from the minister’s office had not been implemented.”
He insisted that Jedy-Agba was part of the signatories to the agreement signed in December 2019 with the union, He noted that the unaddressed issues had degenerated to the point of tilting industrial unrest in the sector.
According to him, TCN’s management had only written by proxy on the issues affecting violation and contravention of TCN’s conditions of service by the board.
Ajaero, on the other hand, stated that the Union is open to decisive discussions with relevant actors in order to find long-term solutions and avoid the sector’s total collapse.
