Clean Energy in Rural Communities: REA to Sustain Collaboration with Private Initiatives

 Sylvester Idowu in Warri

The Executive Director, Funds, of Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Hon. Doris Uboh, has said the federal government will continue to collaborate with private initiatives in the provision of clean energy across the rural communities in the country.
She gave the assurance over the weekend after inspection of 91kWp Solar-Powered Mini Grid project executed by SAF-AGA Renewable Energy Limited in Okpokunou Community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

Okpokunou Mini Grid project is a private Initiative of SAF-AGA Renewable Energy Limited to address the pressing challenges of electricity access in the community which had been deprived of electricity in the past 12 years.
Hon. Doris Uboh said the agency was ever ready to collaborate with private initiatives, like what SAF-AGA has done, in bringing development to the rural communities in the country.

She observed that more buildings were springing up in Okpokunou Community since the inauguration of the mini-grid adding that, “this is an indication that the area is growing and soon many SMEs will be springing up.

“It is heartening to witness initiatives like Okpokunou Mini Grid that address these critical needs bringing clean energy and opportunities to communities. I am very impressed. This is the first time I am witnessing a community here in Nigeria that is running 100 percent on green energy.”
Hon. Uboh who was impressed by the accolades showered on SAF-AGA Renewable Energy Limited since it commenced operations in October last year, said REA will replicate the initiative across rural communities in the country.

“I am hoping that our agency can replicate this in so many other communities because our vision is to bring electrification to the underserved and the unserved and communities like this are everywhere in Nigeria”, she said.

The Executive Director, Funds, REA however pleaded with SAF-AGA Renewable Energy Limited to look into the complaints of the rural people on tariffs being charged adding “REA will look into how we can reduce the tariff for the benefit of the communities.
Hon. Uboh urged the people of the community to protect the facility and establish a good relationship with the firm by ensuring there was no interruption in its operations.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of SAF-AGA Renewable Energy Limited, Dr. Godbless Safugha, the Okpokunou Mini-Grid has a capacity of 91 kWp and a storage system of 170 kWh, powering 330 households initially which can scale and grow with the community connecting up to 596 households and a capacity of 230 kWp addressing the community’s energy needs.

He disclosed that the Mini-Grid was part of a larger initiative with three other neighboring communities sharing in the benefits of the company’s vision are “Ogriagbene, Enekoragha and Esama in Bomadi and Burutu Local Government areas respectively.

Safugha noted that with the successful operations of the Okpokunou Mini-Grid the company expects collaboration with other government agencies, particularly REA, to extend the reach of Mini-Grids to more communities in the region.

He expressed appreciation to the Managing Director of REA, Abba Aliyu for sending the powerful team, led by the Executive Director, Funds, of the agency to inspect the operations of the firm in the community.