FG’s 1.6MW solar plant saves Lafia varsity N30m monthly

The Federal Government’s commissioning of a 1.6-megawatt (MW) solar hybrid power plant at the Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State, is expected to save the institution about N30 million monthly in electricity expenditure while guaranteeing uninterrupted power supply.

The project, delivered under the Rural Electrification Agency’s (REA) Energising Education Programme (EEP), is designed to provide reliable electricity to the university through a combination of solar generation and battery storage, reducing its dependence on conventional power sources.

The facility comprises an approximately 1.6-megawatt-peak (MWp) photovoltaic solar park, supported by a Power Conditioning System (PCS) and an Energy Storage System (ESS) to ensure reliable supply, manage peak demand and power critical loads beyond daylight hours.

Speaking on Friday, at the commissioning ceremony in Lafia, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, commended President Bola Tinubu for the intervention, saying it would ease the financial burden on the institution and the state.

He advocated the expansion of mini-grid projects across the country, describing them as a practical solution to Nigeria’s electricity access challenges, particularly for communities and areas beyond the reach of conventional power infrastructure.

“My opinion is that we should build as many mini-grids as possible. That is the future of Nigeria’s electrification. To reach those without access, we can focus on mini-grids.

“This is the practical way to solve our problems. I appreciate that we have a practical president and a practical minister to tackle these problems head-on,” Sule said.

Also speaking, the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding electricity access, saying the successful operation of the Lafia facility demonstrated the potential of targeted investments in the power sector.

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