The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) yesterday commissioned a 440kWp interconnected mini-grid in Etomi, Agbokim, Abia, and Bendeghe communities, Etung Local Government Area, Cross River State, in a bid to boost the country’s off-grid electricity supply.
The project, implemented under the Interconnected Mini-Grid Acceleration Scheme (IMAS), is part of a €9.3 million in-kind grant initiative funded by the European Union (EU) and supported by the German Cooperation.
REA is the implementing agency of the federal government under the federal ministry of power tasked with the electrification of unserved and underserved communities to catalyse economic growth and improve the quality of life of Nigerians.
The initiative aims to accelerate the development of Nigeria’s interconnected mini-grid market and provide clean energy access to approximately 125,000 beneficiaries, including underserved communities.
In his address at the event, Governor Bassey Otu, represented by the Commissioner for Power and Renewable Energy, Eka Williams, emphasised the potential of the project to transform the socio-economic landscape of the state.
“It not only provides access to sustainable energy for the communities of Etomi, Agbokim, Abia, and Bendeghe but also opens doors to numerous opportunities for growth and development,” Otu said.
