Energy company pledges 10 megawatts of electricity in Borno

Oriented Energy Resources Plc, a
Nigeria-based company, says it plans to generate 10 megawatts of
electricity within four months in Borno using solar system.
The company’s Executive Chairman, Alhaji Mohammed Indimi, made the disclosure while speaking to
newsmen on Sunday in Maiduguri.
Indimi said the project would be undertaken in partnership with two
foreign companies — the Saudi Arabia-based Al-Qahtam and Sons
Group and the Aurinka International of Spain.
He said the objective of the venture was to provide lasting solutions to the problem of power supply in the state.
“We hope to start the process of generating power shortly, by
installing the necessary equipment to build a power plant.
“And, in the next three to four months, we hope to produce 10
megawatts of electricity here in Borno,” Indimi said.
He, however, said since the ownership of the distribution network belonged to the Federal Government, the company had to obtain approval to place the power generated on the National Grid.
“Everywhere in the world, the distribution infrastructure belongs to the federal government, which means that we cannot distribute
power generated on our own. We have to place it on the National
Grid.
“We will in a short while begin the processes of securing permission from the government to enable us
place the power on the National Grid,” Indimi said.
He however said the company would begin to produce smaller
power plants in the state, pending federal approval.
“First we will begin to produce smaller power plants in a short
while, starting from my own house and then to state government
institutions, before going on a large scale.
“For example, we hope to collaborate with the state government to produce power plants for government buildings like the state secretariat, and local government secretariats, and this will take a few weeks to accomplish,” Indimi said.
He said the company was also working on plans to collaborate with financial institutions to enable individuals secure loans to own their personal power plants in the state.
“We hope to work with some banks to allow individuals, like workers, to own their independent power
plants.
“This has worked in countries like Spain where individuals owned
their personal power plants, independent of the National Grid,”
Indimi said.
He said the idea was to revive the industries which were shut down
in the state due to perennial power supply.
“We believe that the idea of producing electricity through solar will help revive numerous industries shut down due to lack of energy.
“Reviving these industries will create a snowball effect in the
society, as jobs will be opened for families without means of
livelihood,” Indimi said.
He said the returns over the years over solar energy were impressive, even though it required initial huge capital requirements.
“Solar energy requires almost zero per cent maintenance, unlike
thermal or hydro that requires daily inputs.
“All you need in solar is the setting up of the power plant which requires little maintenance over the years,” the chairman said.