112 days after, IBDC restores power at UCH

Following outcry from most Nigerians about over 100-day blackout at the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, Oyo State capital, the hospital has been reconnected to the national grid.

The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) said it has reconnected the facility on Tuesday, February 12, 2025, following successful negotiations between both parties. The restoration brought immediate relief to patients, medical staff, and other stakeholders who celebrated as power was restored to the facility.

The UCH has since October 2024 been disconnected from the national grid by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company over unpaid debt of N283m.

Under the new arrangement, the hospital’s power supply has been restructured into three distinct segments: the UCH core area, College of Medicine, and residential/commercial areas. Each section will now manage its electricity consumption independently.

Technical details of the restoration process included a mandatory 24-hour ‘soaking’ period for the transformer, operating at low voltage before full implementation. The core clinical area received priority in the power restoration sequence, with other sections scheduled for subsequent connection.

Hospital management has also taken additional measures to ensure uninterrupted power supply by acquiring a new generator for the main theatre, replacing the previous faulty unit.

This development marks a significant improvement in the hospital’s infrastructure, promising enhanced healthcare service delivery to patients.