The Federal Government has commissioned a 1.6-megawatt (MW) captive solar-hybrid energy plant at the Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State, in a transfer aimed at addressing the establishment’s longstanding electrical energy challenges.
The venture, delivered below Phase III of the Federal Government’s Energising Education Programme (EEP), is predicted to offer dependable electrical energy throughout the college campus, together with scholar hostels, laboratories, lecture rooms and administrative places of work.
The commissioning ceremony, held final November, was attended by the Minister of Power, Chief Joseph O. Tegbe; Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Alhaji Abba Aliyu; Vice-Chancellor of the college, Professor Mohammed Isa; and Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi A. Sule, amongst different dignitaries.
Speaking at the occasion, Tegbe reaffirmed the Federal Government’s dedication to increasing entry to scrub and dependable electrical energy, describing renewable power as an more and more vital supply of energy.
“The federal government will continue its effort to provide reliable and clean electricity access every Nigerians. Investment in electricity is being directed toward the service and productive activities that improve lives,” he mentioned.
He mentioned the intervention would supply aid to the college, which had been contending with unreliable electrical energy provide and an excellent electrical energy invoice of about N30 million.
“The new 1.6 MW and close to 3MW battery storage capacity will operate excellently to provide reliable power to our lecture rooms, laboratories, ICT centers and offices and student hostels. For student and staff this prevent interruption to study and learning,” the minister mentioned.
Tegbe added that solar energy was now not merely an alternate power supply, stressing that he would proceed to advocate captive energy provide by means of renewable power.
According to the assertion, the venture additionally contains the rehabilitation of the college’s present electrical energy distribution community, building of a Workshop Training Centre for analysis and technical coaching, and set up of solar-powered streetlights.
The intervention is being carried out by the REA by means of the Nigeria Electrification Project, with Phase III receiving monetary help from the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Speaking at the ceremony, Aliyu described the venture as an funding in Nigeria’s human capital, analysis capability and technological growth.
“Electricity to university students is not an abstract infrastructure investment, it is different between study and being forced to stop, due to lack of electricity,” he mentioned.
“Electricity access is not about lighting buildings, it is about illuminating possibilities, generating opportunities, connecting the entire generation of Nigeria to their future.”
He mentioned universities required reliable electrical energy to compete globally, including that the Federal Government had repositioned electrical energy entry as a crucial situation for financial transformation.
“The plant being commissioned today is more than a power plant, it is an investment in Nigeria’s human capital, research capacity, technological competitiveness and academic future,” Aliyu mentioned.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Isa, mentioned the college had already begun recording important financial savings because the plant turned operational.
“For the past few months since the operation of the plant, we had stopped paying 30million naira to DISCO monthly,” he mentioned.
He mentioned the venture would profit greater than 30,000 college students, in addition to educational and non-academic workers and surrounding communities.
According to him, the intervention would strengthen instructing and analysis, enhance digital companies and safety, and create alternatives for sensible coaching in renewable power.
The governor, Sule, recommended the Federal Government, the Ministry of Power, the AfDB and the REA for delivering the venture, notably for addressing the college’s longstanding electrical energy difficulties.
The EEP Phase III covers eight federal universities and one instructing hospital throughout Nigeria. Beyond offering electrical energy infrastructure, the programme incorporates technical coaching, analysis and human capital growth.
It additionally supplies alternatives for 160 feminine college students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to accumulate sensible expertise and technical confidence in renewable power methods.
The REA mentioned the programme builds on the achievements of its first two phases, supported by the Federal Government and the World Bank, respectively.
The commissioning of the Lafia plant is a part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to strengthen electrical energy entry in public establishments, cut back power prices and enhance the surroundings for instructing, studying and analysis.
