FG Targets 100 Isolation Centres, 400 PHCs in New Electrification Drive

By Emmanuel Addeh

The federal government said yesterday that it was set to power over 100 COVID-19 isolation centres and 400 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) nationwide through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).

A statement from the REA in Abuja, stated that as part of the COVID-19 intervention scheme, solar hybrid mini-grids were deployed a few months ago in the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital isolation centre, which got 53.1kWp and at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) public health lab, Lagos which received 25kw.

It noted that 20kw plant was established at the 128-bed isolation centre in Ikenne, Ogun State and a 10kw facility built at the 100-bed Iberekodo isolation centre, also in Ogun State.

“These interventions will be scaled up to 100 isolation centres and 400 primary health centres, to be deployed in phases,” the agency stated.

It explained that during the year, some mini-grid grid projects were completed in Eka Awoke, Ebonyi State, with 100kw, 30kw solar hybrid mini-grid in Bambami village, Batagarawa council, Katsina State and 100kw solar hybrid mini-grid at Olooji community, Ijebu-East, Ogun State.

In addition, the REA listed the 100kw solar hybrid mini-grid at Budo-Are community, Oyo State, 40kw solar hybrid mini-grid at Goton-Sarki community, Paikoro LGA, Niger state, 85kwp solar mini-grid at Dekiti community, Akko LGA, Gombe and 100kW solar hybrid mini-grid in Adebayo community, Ovia South LGA, Edo State as having been completed.

“Over 15, 000 community members across these communities are benefiting from these installations. These interventions have also improved the socio-economic status of these communities through productive use of electricity.

“6,805 solar home systems have been deployed across six states (Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Kaduna, Akwa Ibom, Katsina) and more is designed to deliver mini-grids to 12 communities and 19, 000 SHS in total,” the agency said.

On grid extension projects, the REA added that Unguwar Dutse community, Malumfashi, Katsina State got a 33/0.415kv transformer serving about 4,000 residents of the community, while Ajijola-Anabi community, Osun State received a 300kva, 11/0.415kv transformer.

The REA explained that solar mini-grids were completed in Joint Hospital, Ozubulu, Ikwusigo, Anambra State – 7.5kW, powering critical loads at the hospital, 65kW was deployed to the 250-bed cottage hospital at Okpogo community, Okene LGA, Kogi State, while Government Cottage Hospital, Adavi Eba, Adavi LGA, Kogi State, got 5.4kW solar power.

“These systems are sufficiently serving these hospitals by powering critical loads and ensuring the delivery of quality healthcare services to the people of the community.

“Other projects include the 8.2MW Solar hybrid mini-grid in FUAM, serving over 17, 000 students and staff members, a workshop and training centre designed to train the EEP-STEM interns and 470 solar streetlights installed to ensure security on campus.

“So far, BUK, FUAM and Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike (FUNAI) have all energised under the EEP, while a total of 18.5MW has already deployed under the EEP, with 100 STEM interns trained at the workshop and Training Centres, 740 jobs created.
On the phase two of the Energising Education Project (EEP), the agency explained that term sheets had been signed with the University of Abuja, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Federal University Gashua, University of Calabar and its teaching hospital, University Teaching Hospital Abeokuta and University of Maiduguri as well as its teaching hospital.

“These term sheets kick off deeper engagements with the EEP Phase II beneficiary institutions. Upon completion, all these institutions will be energised with clean, safe and reliable energy,” it stated.

Also in 2020, the REA said Akipelai and Oloibiri in Bayelsa State have now been powered by a 134.64kW solar hybrid mini-grid where 364 households are being served.
It stated that Shimankar, in Plateau State, now has 234kW, serving 1,972 households, 273 commercial users in the community, with over 200 jobs created in the construction phase of the projects.

“All these three communities are being powered under the NEP Performance-Based Grant (PBG). The target is to electrify 1 million households and 90,000 MSMEs through this component.

“Under the solar power naija, the electrification of five million households is on and this will serve about 25 million Nigerians in rural areas and under-served urban communities as well as create about 250,000 jobs in the energy sector,” the agency said.