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In its bid to ensure sustainable electricity supply to her esteemed customers, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has upscaled its avowed commitment to optimising renewable energy and off-grid opportunities to complement its grid capacity.

Leadership reports that the Managing Director/CEO of the company, Mr. Christopher Ezeafukukwe, who made known the renewed commitment, 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 spoke recently during the commissioning of the 352.24kWp interconnected mini-grid in Toto community, Nasarawa State.

He said that 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 optimise 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, Adebayo Adelabu.

The AEDC boss who was represented by , head, Regulatory and Government Relations, Barr Olajumoke Delano, 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 mini-grid 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 further stated that “this model will help deal with the challenges posed by the undeniable fact that macro-economic realities of today make it commercially not viable 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”, he said.

Mr. Ezeafulukwe then 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”, the AEDC MD/CEO said.

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 per cent.

He therefore urged the federal government and the AEDC to replicate the project across communities in the area.