FG commissions N146m Torankawa solar power for 350 homes

The Federal Government has commissioned a 60 kilowatts (KW) grid connected solar power plant in Torankawa community of Sokoto State worth N146 million.

The Acting Director, Department of Renewable Energy and Rural Power Access at the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Engr. Faruk Yabo Yusuf, at the commissioning, said the plant would provide uninterrupted electricity supply to 350 households with 1,750 people benefiting from it.

“It’s the first of its kind in Nigeria because all other solar projects are off grid projects,” Yusuf said, adding that the plant which connects to the national grid was a pilot to test the Mini Grid Regulation launched by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in 2017.

He said the plant, delivered in three months, also provided power to 20 small businesses, five mosques, community irrigation farm and with 50 street lights.

It was funded under the Renewable Energy Micro Utility (REMU) project with proceeds from Nigerian Sovereign Green Bond issued in 2017.

The project handler and managing director of Protogy Global Services, Engr. Ademola Agoro, explained that the plant has 99 per cent assurance of availability of power supply all year round.

He said the plant consists of 125kVA battery and electricity inverter, 60kW solar Photovoltaic (PV ) modules, 216 kilowatt hours (kWh) battery bank and 100kva backup diesel generator.