Winifred Bosa.

The head, Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, Mr. Ernest Edgar has identified the vandalization of pipelines, electricity cables, non-payment of bills consumed by consumers, as well as the violence in Delta State as the causes off constant blackout in Nigeria.

Edgar made the assertion during a “one day Customers’ Forum held in Warri, Delta State.

He said within last week, the country has been experiencing system collapse because the supply from the nation’s grid had not been stable.

“I must tell you, busting of pipelines, coupled with vandalization of electricity cable and violence in Delta State as well as the lack of bills payment are responsible for inefficiency of BEDC”, he declared.

While noting that the distribution of electricity depended much on the amount generated from the national grid, Edgar pointed out that BEDC waas not involved in power generation.

Edgar explained that when there is much busting of the pipelines, it affects the gas supply, which is the source of generating power, thereby affecting the distribution.

Edgar stated that the BEDC covered four states: Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti, adding that, “it is what we receive from the national grid that we in turn distribute to these areas”.

Edgar stressed that, “if the distribution fails, the economy will fail and this can go a long way to cause unemployment as businesses will not be functional.”

The BEDC Chief used the medium to commend the judiciary for jailing suspected vandals of electricity cables, just as he advocated for long jail terms for those involved in the act.