Nigerian authorities inaugurated on Saturday, 17 October, a one-megawatt solar mini-grid in Talasse, Gombe State, intended to supply around 6,000 households and businesses. The town in north-eastern Nigeria had been without a connection to the national grid for more than 17 years, according to Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.
The installation includes batteries with a storage capacity of 2.4 megawatt-hours, the Nigerian press reports. This storage supplements output from the solar panels to extend the availability of electricity, a key issue for workshops, shops and agricultural processing.
The governor plans to accompany the electrification with equipment intended notably for rice dehulling, milling and groundnut oil production, according to Premium Times. He presents these uses as a means of supporting the activity of farmers and small businesses.
Electricity Minister Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe confirmed that Talasse was already benefiting from this supply, in a statement published on 17 October by the federal Ministry of Information. He presented the system as a supply available day and night.
Another part of the programme concerns four mini-grids planned in Kumo, Kaltungo, Dukku and Bajoga. Launch ceremonies for the works were held in Kumo and Kaltungo, the ministry specifies. Joseph Tegbe announced a capacity of 4 MW for Kumo and promised power to the communities concerned within a maximum of six months.