In a renewed commitment to its high safety standards, Ikeja Electric Plc has cautioned the public in its network against building structures and engaging in social and economic activities under power lines.
The company said the specific clearance/distance which the public must maintain away from a 33/11KV lines is 5.5 metres (20ft) on both sides, while for 132KV lines, the distance must be 15 metres (50ft) on both sides and 330KV lines must have a clearance of 25metres (60ft) on both sides.
The electricity distribution company (Disco) Head of Quality, Safety, Health and Environment (QHSE), Jamiu Badmos, explained that carrying out social and economic activities under power lines exposes people’s lives to danger, leading to the risk of electrocution.
According to him, fatality within the energy sector can be prevented if the public religiously adhere to precautions and avoid activities close to electrical installations.
“As a responsible service provider, we are aware of our obligation to ensure that every resident within our network is kept safe, especially bearing in mind the hazardous nature of electricity so we are using this medium to remind the public that electrical installations are harmful and must be avoided as much as is possible. Our appeal to customers to avoid activities under power lines must be taken seriously, especially as the integrity of old cables cannot always be guaranteed,” he said.
Badmos revealed that even with the huge resources the Disco has spent on enlightenment campaigns to sensitise the public on inherent dangers of life-threatening activities, some people have remained adamant.
He further called for the intervention of the government and relevant stakeholders in stemming this “ugly development” by declaring activities under power line as illegal, and moving people and markets away from the danger spots to save lives and property.
