By Obas Esiedesa, Abuja

The Managing Director/CEO, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, Mr. Christopher Ezeafulukwe has noted that the deployment of interconnected mini-grids in unserved and under-served communities will boost economic activities for rural dwellers across the country.

Mr. Ezeafukukwe who stated this on Thursday at the commissioning of the 352.24kWp interconnected mini grid in Toto community, Nasarawa State, said the successful execution of the unique project by AEDC in collaboration with PowerGen Nigeria Limited and the Rural Electrification Agency, REA, was a testament to the company’s renewed commitment to optimize renewable energy and off-grid opportunities to complement its grid capacity to ensure sustainable electricity supply to our esteemed customers. 

The project was commissioned by the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu.

The AEDC boss who was represented by Barr Olajumoke Delano, Head, Regulatory and Government Relations disclosed that the interconnected mini-grid project which was initiated by the company in 2020 to explore innovative ways to better serve its customers was borne out of AEDC’s desire to provide more reliable electricity supply to underserved communities like Toto.

 “AEDC had received some support from the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to explore innovative business models that would see us, amongst other things, augment grid supply with off-grid sources such as mini-grids. We were quite excited when our partnership with PowerGen provided us the prospect of validating the Rural Interconnected Mini-Grid business model that had been developed through the generous support from USTDA and Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI).

 “The choice of Toto Community in Nasarawa State for the pilot project was not difficult for us and our partners to make, given the economic potentials of the Community, which had been underserved. Even at the conception stage, we could envision the massive transformative impact a successful interconnected minigrid project would have on Toto. We are indeed very glad that our vision at AEDC has come to fruition and the journey we embarked upon with our worthy partners, has been successfully completed”, he added.

He noted that “this model will help deal with the challenges posed by the undeniable fact that macro-economic realities of today make it commercially unviable for Distribution Companies to serve some locations within their coverage areas under the current grid arrangement. So, AEDC will leverage this success to forge stronger partnerships and collaboration that would see us execute more of this type of projects”.

Mr. Ezeafulukwe pointed out that the company’s interactions with Toto Community “showed excitement and immeasurable joy on the part of the members of the Community by the reason of this project. The economic development of Toto has already begun. Greater access to reliable electricity has paved the way for new businesses to thrive, and existing ones to expand, creating job opportunities and boosting local income. About 2,000 connections are targeted under this project. The socio-economic impact on the Community will be exponential in the months and years ahead”.

Speaking on his experience, one of the beneficiaries, Mr. Abubakar Nasir, a sachet water producer, said the power supply from the project has reduced his energy cost by over 70 percent.

He therefore urged the Federal Government and the AEDC to replicate the project across communities in the area.