Power
FELIX Dayo, the Managing Director, Triple ‘E’ System Associates Ltd., says the company is working toward supplying uninterrupted solar electricity to 2000 households in Egigbo in Osun by 2020.
Dayo, who disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja, said that the move was part of the company’s effort to ensure that Nigerians in rural communities enjoyed adequate power supply at affordable rates.
He said that 1,500 out of the 2, 000 consumers would first be given electricity from May to June 2020.
“We have identified the project, designed it and it is going through regulatory adjudication process by Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
“If we are successful and REA Okays the project, we will be entitled to small grant which will make the project sustainable, and if we are not successful, we will still go ahead with the project.
“If we are able to get grant from REA up to 40, 30 or 20 per cent, it will reduce what people will be paying for using the electricity.
“We cannot do the project alone because we are going to raise equity from source and funds from outside the country but the most important thing is to deliver electricity to people at affordable rate.’’
Rural Electrification Agency (REA) was created by the Electric Power Sector Reform Act in 2006.
The agency is to facilitate the provision of affordable power supply for residential, commercial, industrial and social activities in the rural and peri-urban areas of the country.
“We identify Egigbo because I have relationship with them and I found out that the town is on the average of two hours of electricity every day.
“Sometimes, it maybe for six or seven hours but on the average the power is two hours per day.
“I approached the Royal Father of Egigbo (Kabiyesi) and I told him that I want to give his people light. I told him that the light is not a grant, it is not a government project, it is a private sector project.
“The Kabiyesi invited his chiefs and the local government chairman and I spoke with them and they gave us their consent to go ahead.
“The staff of Triple E went through the town and we did a mapping,” he said.
The don said that the Egigbo power would be mini grid solar hybrid, adding that a football field had been given to the company for the solar farm.
He said at the course of mapping, Triple E realised that Ejigbo wires were linked to Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (DISCO).
“We approach Ibadan DISCO to release 2000 out of 5000 consumers in Ejigbo to us because we will give them 24/7 power supply and we need to work with them because we will use some of its wires.”
He said initially, Ibadan Disco proved tough in releasing the consumers but later gave its consent for the project.
NAN
– November 13, 2019 @ 16:25 GMT |
Tags: Private investor promises 2000 Ejigbo consumers uninterrupted solar electricity
