By Abisola THOMPSON
Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) says it has started vegetation management exercise as part of its strategy to improve power supply and prevent incidences of fire, electrocution and other safety hazards in some states.
Mrs Angela Olanrewaju, the Head, Media Communications and Strategy of the company made the remark in a statement.
Olanrewaju said that states to benefit from the vegetation management exercise include Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Kwara, parts of Niger, Ekiti and Kogi states.
Vegetation management is the systematic removal of encroaching trees, tree branches, plants or leaves to prevent interference with overhead power lines.
The Chief Operating Officer, Mr John Ayodele said that the company as a responsible organisation recognised the implication of cutting trees on climate change issues and the need for balance in the ecosystem.
Ayodele said that vegetation management across company’s business had become imperative due to the danger and disruption to power supply posed by dense vegetation currently encroaching on its electrical installations.
“In the power sector, we classify this as a fourfold threat to persons, environment, equipment and materials.
“The risk factors of encroaching vegetation on power distribution are frequent network interruptions and increased downtime because when the trees encroach on overhead power lines and they bridge the phases resulting in a transient or permanent fault.
“Encroaching trees increase the risks of fire outbreak, especially during harmattan season when they are dry and burn easily.
“The resultant effect of a fire outbreak could be crippling and lead to loss of lives and property damage.’’
Ayodele said that the encroaching vegetation on power distribution installations placed members of the public at the risk of electric shock and electrocution.
“Trees within the proximity of the electromagnetic field of power lines can become conductors of electricity resulting in electric shock or electrocution of unsuspecting passersby,” he said.
He further appealed to customers to support and cooperate with IBEDC’s staff and contractors when they were at their localities to carry out the exercise.
He said that vegetation management was an important feature in the reliability and safety of electrical power distribution.
Ayodele said that it was a preventive and proactive maintenance practice that ensured the protection, sustainability, profitability and satisfaction of all stakeholders within the company’s franchise area.
