Rural Electrification Agency to spend $105 million on solar power plants in 7 Federal Universities
Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has contracted five renewable energy companies to build solar hybrid power plants in seven Federal Universities and two teaching hospitals under the energizing education programme (EEP).
A statement by the agency, explained that the project would cost $105 million and is being supported by the World Bank.
The renewable energy companies are Em-One Energy Solutions (JV), Znshine PV-Tech Co. Ltd, Dongfang Electric International Corporation (DEC), DEC & Mutual Commitment Company Ltd (DEC-MCC), and Eauxwell Nigeria Ltd & Greencells GMBH.
They will engineer, procure and construct power plants and provide streetlights within the universities. In addition, they will rehabilitate existing distribution infrastructure within the universities and oversee the operation and maintenance of the power plants for one year, among other things.
According to the REA, the Federal Universities that are set to benefit from the EEP are:
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State;Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State;University of Calabar, Cross River State;University of Maiduguri, Borno State;University of Abuja, Federal Capital Territory;Federal University, Gashua, Yobe State,Nigerian Defense Academy, Kaduna State.
Part of the statement by the REA said, “Today, the Agency moved deeper into the implementation of the second phase of the Federal Government’s energizing education programme (EEP), with funding from the World Bank under the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP).
“While the EEP phase 1 was implemented in nine universities and two university teaching hospitals (with seven now fully completed), the EEP phase 2 will equally deliver on the deployment of solar hybrid power plants in seven additional Federal Universities and 2 associated teaching hospitals.
“This contract signing is one of the ways we strive to promote Public-Private Partnership between the Federal Government of Nigeria and Private Sector companies and it will also count towards the realization of Federal Government’s Economic Recovery and Sustainability Plan.”
