FG Inaugurates Solar Hybrid Power Plant in Kogi Today
Committed to providing electricity access to unserved and underserved communities in Nigeria, thereby increasing electricity access to particularly hard-to-reach areas, the indigenes of Upake community (the ancestral home of Ebira people) in Ajaokuta Local Government Area of Kogi State are set to benefit from clean, safe and reliable electricity access following the installation of an 80 kilowatt (KW) solar hybrid mini-grid power plant.
The federal government, through its implementing agency, Rural Electrification Agency (REA), would inaugurate the 80 KW solar hybrid mini-grid power plant project today in the rural community in the state.
As a result of the electricity project, 496 residential and commercial buildings will be connected and receive constant electricity henceforth.
The first call of the Rural Electrification Fund (REF) will energise 12 communities and deploy 19,000 Solar Home Systems (SHS).
In her remarks, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of REA, Mrs. Damilola Ogunbiyi, said the move to light up every nook and cranny of Nigeria reiterates the commitment of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in fulfilling its mandate to ensure electricity access for all Nigerians. “More families and businesses in Upake will have access to clean, sustainable and reliable electricity from the sun (solar). This enhances productivity and provides jobs in Upake,” she said.
Upake community is one of the 12 communities to benefit from the first set of grants under the Rural Electrification Fund, which is a REA initiative. Other communities set to inaugurate solar hybrid mini-grids in the coming weeks include Kare, Dadin-Kowa and Tsulaye communities in Kebbi State and Akpabom community in Akwa Ibom State.
According to her, the Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency (REA), the Implementing Agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria, is tasked with electrification of unserved and underserved communities. The Rural Electrification Fund (REF) provides equitable access to electricity across Nigeria to maximise the economic, social and environmental benefits of rural electrification grants, which is to promote off-grid electrification and stimulate innovative approaches to rural electrification. REF projects are administered using a PublicPrivate Partnership (PPP) model.