FirstPower Assures Nnewi Residents of Imminent End to Power Transmission Constraints

By Praise Chinecherem

Residents and businesses in Nnewi, Anambra State, may soon experience significant improvements in electricity supply as FirstPower Electricity Distribution Company Limited (FirstPower DisCo) has assured customers that ongoing transmission challenges affecting the industrial town are nearing resolution.

The assurance was given by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of FirstPower, Mr. Okechukwu Okafor, during the company’s latest Customer Engagement Forum held in Nnewi District. The forum forms part of FirstPower’s ongoing efforts to strengthen customer relations, improve transparency, and address concerns surrounding electricity supply and service delivery.

Addressing participants, Okafor acknowledged the frustrations caused by the current power situation, attributing the challenge largely to transmission limitations beyond the control of the distribution company.

According to him, relief is on the horizon through the ongoing Umuchu 2x60MVA Transmission Substation project being executed by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

“The project has reached approximately 95 percent completion and will significantly boost electricity supply to Nnewi and surrounding communities upon completion. It will inject additional power capacity into the network and eliminate the transmission bottlenecks currently affecting the area,” he said.

Okafor explained that the engagement forum was designed to provide customers with firsthand information about developments in the electricity sector, review company services, gather feedback, and jointly identify practical solutions to improve power supply across the district.

He described Nnewi as Anambra State’s leading industrial and automobile hub, commending residents for their commitment to local development despite persistent challenges in the power sector.

The FirstPower boss also warned customers against patronizing unauthorized meter vendors, urging them to obtain prepaid meters only through approved channels. He condemned meter bypass, energy theft, vandalism, and other illegal activities, describing them as major obstacles to improved service delivery.

He called on communities to protect electricity infrastructure and report suspicious activities through the company’s whistleblowing line, assuring customers that ongoing investments would soon translate into more reliable power supply.

The engagement also highlighted several interventions being undertaken by the company, including network expansion projects, feeder reconfiguration initiatives, the establishment of a Meter Laboratory in Onitsha with a production capacity of about 2,500 prepaid meters daily, and plans for embedded power generation to reduce dependence on the national grid.

Providing further insight into the sector, FirstPower’s Chief Technical Officer, Dr. Emeka Egbujor, explained the roles of generation, transmission, and distribution companies, noting that many power-related challenges experienced by customers originate from transmission limitations rather than distribution operations.

He disclosed that upon completion of the Umuchu transmission project, FirstPower would commence the construction of additional injection substations and feeders to strengthen electricity supply throughout Nnewi District.

On customer service and billing, Chief Commercial Officer, Dr. Mrs. Nnenna Obi, explained the company’s metering programmes and ongoing accountability initiatives aimed at improving customer experience and operational efficiency.

The company’s Safety Officer for Nnewi District, Engr. Mike Nzewi, also educated participants on electrical safety, warning against illegal connections, tampering with installations, and unsafe activities around transformers and power lines.

Other management staff who addressed participants emphasized the need for stronger community collaboration in protecting critical power infrastructure and ensuring sustainable service delivery.

The highly interactive forum attracted community leaders, industrialists, business owners, and customers from across Nnewi and neighbouring communities. Participants raised concerns about electricity supply limitations, fault response times, infrastructure protection, metering challenges, and the possibility of dedicated power lines for industrial clusters.

The engagement concluded with renewed commitments from FirstPower management to improve communication, accelerate infrastructure investments, and deliver more stable and efficient electricity services across Nnewi and Anambra State.