Lucky Obukohwo Reporting
The Edo State government has finally bowed to pressure to reconnect to the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) for supply of electricity having opted out five years ago.
Its decision to get itself reconnected to the BEDC was said to the power outage from the Ossiomo Electricity Company.
Power supply from Ossiomo was reportedly switched off on September 1, as a result of alleged ownership tussle between Ossiomo Power and its Chinese partners, Jiangsu Communication Clean Energy Technology (CCETC).
The Edo State Government had disconnected from BEDC five years ago after ending the company’s monopoly in the state by supporting the establishment of Ossiomo Power as an alternative power supply source.
Director General of the Edo State Electrification Agency, Saturday Omozokpea Egbadon, while confirming the switch-over to the BEDC, said electricity had been restored to some streetlights and the government buildings, adding that the process was still ongoing.
Prior to its shutdown, Ossiomo Power was generating 95MW of electricity, which it supplied to government buildings, Edo Government House, Edo NUJ secretariat, private organisations and streetlights, among others.