The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has fined the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) a total sum of N300 million.
This comes as AEDC failed to secure its electricity distribution assets from third-party intrusion, which eventually led to the death of a four-year-old male child in Niger State.
NERC also disclosed in a notice of its regulatory enforcement action against AEDC that out of the N300 million fine, the family of the deceased minor, Master Mohammed Arafat Jibril, will get N50 million in compensation for their loss.
The commission in its regulatory enforcement order stated amongst others that AEDC did not do enough to prevent the death of the boy on April 11, 2019.
According to NERC, Mohammed died from electrocution on a 300 kilovolt amp (kVA) 11/0.415kVA distribution substation in Maikunkele area, which feeds from 33/11 kV Maikunkele injection substation on Airport feeder in Bosso, Niger area.
It explained that the distribution asset supplied electricity to the quarters, where Mohammed and his family lived, adding that Section 1.3.26 Part IV of its distribution code imposed an obligation on Abuja Disco to ensure that distribution transformers, switchgears, and distribution boxes installed in streets and accessible to public shall be protected by locking the doors and/or providing a suitable fence with gate wherever possible.
NERC also stated that beyond securing the assets, the Disco ought to have put up prominently displayed ‘danger’ signs on the fence and equipment to warn the public of the implications of any unauthorised access.
