By Modupe Gbadeyanka
In order to further optimize operations through adequate maintenance of installations and reduction of downtime, Nigeria’s leading Electricity Distribution Company, Ikeja Electric Plc (IE), has commenced the electronic tagging of electricity poles across its network.
The exercise known as E-Pole Tagging Project entails labelling of all 11KV and 33KV High Tension (HT) poles with electronic Quick Response (QR) Code stickers. It will accelerate fault clearing, ensure proper record keeping for poles and feeders that need urgent maintenance to bring about stable power distribution to customers.
Speaking on the initiative, Head of Corporate Communication at Ikeja Electric, Mr Felix Ofulue, said, “At Ikeja Electric, we are consistent and committed to improving our operations in line with best practice in order to give the desirable services to our customers. We are engaging in activities that will provide significant outcome and impact positively on the sector.”
“This consistency shows that we are driven by commitment and passion to add value to the lives of our customers through exploring ways of improving the network,” he said.
The project, according to the company, kicked off three weeks ago and is expected to end by December 31, 2019.
It will cover 274 units of 11KV overhead Feeders and 64 units of 33KV overhead feeders. The electronic stickers are designed in QR Code (Quick Response Code) format. Information about the feeders and poles are embedded into the fibre metallic stickers that are attached to the poles.
These information can be read by scanning the QR Code on the stickers pasted on the poles with any smartphone devices. The scanned information will show the Index Number, Feeder Name, Pole Material Type (Wooden or Concrete), Pole ID, Longitude/Latitude and Pole Structure (Single or Dual Poles).
The initiative will enable the technical team to track work and maintenance history, reducing human error in the upkeep of regular maintenance and speeding up tracking times for new work orders. The project is a continuation of the CETAAM Project contracted to KEPCO.
Part of the recent improvement done by the DisCo includes upgrading of the PTC Undertaking at Ikeja GRA to offer a highly effective Point-of-Sales self-service, fully automated Electronic Queue Management System (EQMS) and well-trained Executives Sales Representative.
Other projects executed to scale up supply across our network also include commissioning of the Mushin 1x15MVA Injection Substation and the New Oworo 15 MVA Injection Sub-Station.
Towards the end of last year, IE carried out a thorough rehabilitation of the Agege Injection Substation with the replacement of two obsolete high voltage switchgears, while it has also set up a Preventive Maintenance Team to check failure of equipment and guarantee stable power supply.
