By Ugochukwu Alaribe

ABA—The Rural Electrification Agency, REA, has said that it has energised 4,000 shops at the Ariaria International Market, Aba, through the newly built Independent Power Project, IPP, at the market.

The agency added that more 37,000 shops would soon be energised to boost businesses at the market.

Speaking at the commissioning of the power plant in Aba, Managing Director, REA, Damilola Ogunbiyi, explained that Ariaria Market IPP, is part of the energising economic initiative project, EEI,  meant to increase energy access and economic growth by assisting private sector developers to provide clean, reliable and affordable power to economic clusters, such as markets, shopping complexes and agricultural/industrial clusters.

Ogunbiyi stated that the plant consists of an independent gas-fired power plant, an extensive distribution network and metering systems for each shop.

She added that shops would receive constant, clean and metered electricity, stressing that there will be no problem of estimated billing as the traders would only pay for what they consume.