South Region: Energy minister launches solar project to boost electricity supply nationwide.
The Minister of Water and Energy Resources, Gaston Eloundou Essomba, has laid the foundation stone for the construction of a mini solar photovoltaic power plant to boost power supply nationwide.
The solar project launched Friday, November 17, in the locality of Bindoumba in Djoum Subdivision, Dja and Lobo Division of the South Region, is in its third phase.
According to the minister, once completed, power from the plant will result in the supply of electricity to 87 localities in the ten Regions of the country.
The project is being carried out in partnership with the Chinese company, Huawei Technologies.
Minister Gaston Eloundou speaking during ceremony
Improving living conditions
According to Minister Eloundou Essomba, the project aims to improve the living conditions of the population.
He said government is committed to ensuring access to electricity for people in landlocked areas, which are far from interconnected networks.
The main objective of the project, he insisted, is to ensure access to quality electrical energy for citizens in rural areas.
This, he said, is at a controlled cost and an innovative bill payment system as it is carried out via the different mobile networks.
“Despite the reforms introduced in the electricity sector and the enormous efforts already made by public authorities, the rate of access to electricity in our country has not yet reached the expected level. It stands at about 70% by 2023, with disparities between rural areas, where it is around 40%, and urban areas, where it is close to 91%,” the minister underscored.
To note that with the current phase, the 87 localities to benefit have been partitioned as follows: seven localities each in Adamawa and East Regions; eight localities each in the North, Far North and Littoral Regions; twelve in the Centre and eleven localities each in the North West and South West Regions and five localities in the South Region.
Need for good quality energy
According to the minister, no development is possible without sufficient and good-quality energy. Minister Eloundou Essomba said the Head of State, President Paul Biya, has within his 2035 Vision for Cameroon’s emergence, put special focus on stepping up energy supply.
This, he said, with particular regard to improving access to electricity for people in rural areas and ensuring that rural populations have access to sufficient quality electrical energy is unequivocal.
“To date, the first two phases of the project have already been completed, with a total of 350 solar power plants built, including the associated networks and providing electricity to 27,400 households,” the member of government announced.