The Nigerian Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade, has announced that his government has settled plans to construct a 2MW multi-fuel power plants in each of the 18 local councils of the country.
Ayade clarified that the plants would integrate renewable and non-renewable energy sources, adding that the state was “bearing in mind the option of using solar for the day and gas fire for the night.”
He stated that this move is to increase electricity supply in the pastoral communities of the country.
The project, planned for completion on or afore 2019, is to be implemented in partnership with a South African firm, Industrial Project Services.
“I have 18 local government regions and it is my obligation to make certain that each council and village has electricity under my watch,” the governor said.
The governor continued: “The radiation studies and reference point data for Nigeria cover amply a spectrum of Cross River. Clearly the radiation that we see from literature studies displays undoubtedly that we have a high level of it, thus making the applicability of solar as an energy source in the northern and central part of the state very feasible.
“We are trying to have an industrialized setting where we will essentially be dealing with power supply and solar base systems to deserted communities, those that are detached from the national grid as well as some municipalities that are there.
Ayede further expounded on the choice of partner, which he said was informed by its skills.
“This will be the first solar power project to be embarked on in South Nigeria at a marketable scale.
Once this thrives, it means that we would have unlocked the door to the real large market of Africa which is Nigeria and if you have the Nigerian market, Africa will merely follow,” he said.
