The Nigerian government has signed an agreement with Sun Africa LLC, a US renewable energy company, for the construction of 5,000 MW of solar power generation and 2,500 MWh of battery energy storage power plants in at least 360 rural communities and 16 others nationwide.
The project is expected to receive $10 billion in investment from the US government and is intended to provide clean and reliable electricity. The agreement includes a development and Engineering, Procurement, and Construction implementation framework.
According to Shehu, “The agreement was signed on Wednesday in Washington, D.C by Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, and Adam Cortese, CEO of Sun Africa, in the presence of President Joe Biden’s Special Presidential Coordinator for the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, Amos Hochstein.”
In his address on Tuesday, December 13, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) had said: “As part of the National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy, we set the vision 30:30:30 which aims at achieving 30GW of electricity by 2030 with renewable energy contributing 30 per cent of the energy mix.”
He also sought the United States’ support to achieve the target.
Shehu made it clear that “Sun Africa, Sterling and Wilson Renewable Energy Limited, a leading US and international solar EPC company, and the Nigerian government have been working on the development of transformation grid-connected and mini-grids solar projects in multiple locations, including interconnection, electrification and smart meters infrastructure.
“To ensure the broadest and most comprehensive approach to access electricity, Sun Africa is also implementing solar cabins and solar home systems where the mini-grids are not economically viable.”
The project, which will be built in phases across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria, aims to provide clean, reliable, and affordable electricity to more than 30 million people.
The first phase, scheduled for the first quarter of 2023, will include the construction of solar and energy storage power plants in Gwagwalada, FCT (143 MWp PV size and 68 MWh energy storage); Gombe, Gombe State (270 MWp PV size and 128 MWh energy storage); Lafia, Nasarawa State (350 MWp PV size and 166 MWh energy storage); Geregu, Kogi State (174 MWp PV size and 82 MWh energy storage); and Ihovbor, Edo State (24 MWp PV size and 11 MWh energy storage).
The remaining locations for the project are Damaturu, Yobe State (150 MWp PV size and 70 MWh energy storage); Bauchi, Bauchi State (143 MWp PV size and 68 MWh energy storage); Yola, Adamawa State (174 MWp PV size and 82 MWh energy storage); Dutse, Jigawa State (150 MWp PV size and 60 MWh energy storage); Makurdi, Benue State (168 MWp PV size and 77 MWh energy storage); Katsina, Katsina State (150 MWp PV size and 70 MWh energy storage); Kaduna, Kaduna State (180 MWp PV size and 80 MWh energy storage); Kebbi, Kebbi State (174 MWp PV size and 82 MWh energy storage); Kano, Kano State (174 MWp PV size and 82 MWh energy storage); Ganmo, Kwara State (143 MWp PV size and 68 MWh energy storage); Akwa, Anambra State (143 MWp PV size and 68 MWh energy storage).
