Bonaberi - Battling with Electricity!

Due to a default transformer, the locality spent several days in darkness, though at press time, solutions were underway.

Albert T., a resident of Bonassama in Douala could not withhold his peace any longer. The retired civil servant stormed the premises of the AES Sonel substation in Bonassama, which serves as the electricity transmission unit to Bonaberi and its environs. In a verbal exchange with the security forces at the main gate, he expressed his bitterness about the deplorable situation his household was facing for the past three days. The reason behind his reaction, which underlies those of other residents, is the continuous absence of electricity.

During a descent by the press to the substation on Wednesday June 19, a team of workers were engaged on duty. According to the head of Service in Charge of Transmission Network at AES Sonel, Paul Monji, a technical fault was signaled on Monday June 17 around 5pm. Given that the gravity of the situation, he said, measures were undertaken to replace the impaired transformer. But first, sensitive areas like the Bonaberi water station and hospital, the Bonassama market, administrative services and the Ayatto water unit were immediately restored, he added.

A communiqué by AES Sonel announced the arrival of another transformer, which Paul Monji confirmed. On the site, the workers were preparing the grounds for its installation. It would be noted that the former transformer had a 50 mva capacity, while the new one disposes of 36mwa. The gap according our informant was minimal given that the overall electricity demand of Bonaberi stands at 40megawatts. However at press time, the new transformer has been installed and a communiqué from AES Sonel stated its functioning as from 2pm on Friday June 21.