Residents of Talasse in Balanga Local Government Area of Gombe State are set to gain access to electricity after 17 years without connection to the national grid, following the commissioning of a 1-megawatt solar mini-grid designed to serve more than 6,000 households and businesses.

The project was commissioned on Saturday, October 17, by the Federal Government and the Gombe State Government. It features a 2.4-megawatt-hour battery storage system designed to support electricity supply to homes, businesses and productive activities in the community.

The development is expected to improve access to power in Talasse, where prolonged lack of electricity has constrained economic activities and access to essential services.

The project was delivered through a partnership involving the Federal Government, the Gombe State Government, the World Bank and Mids Dynamics Limited under the Nigeria Electrification Project, implemented through the Rural Electrification Agency.

The 1MW facility is equipped with an 11-kilovolt distribution network and smart prepaid meters to deliver electricity to residential and commercial users.

According to project details reported at the commissioning, the installation is designed to generate more than 950 megawatt-hours of electricity annually over its projected 25-year lifespan.

Minister of Power Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe described the project as a significant step towards expanding electricity access, strengthening energy security and promoting sustainable development in underserved communities.

The initiative is also intended to support local businesses and improve the delivery of services that depend on a reliable power supply.

New projects planned across Gombe

The commissioning also marked the groundbreaking for four additional interconnected mini-grid projects with a combined planned capacity of 16 megawatts.

The projects are planned for Dukku, Bajoga, Kumo and Kaltungo, extending the state’s efforts to expand electricity access through renewable energy infrastructure.

Equipment unveiled alongside the Talasse project includes electric tricycles, an electric groundnut oil processing plant, a modular electric rice mill and electric flour-grinding machines.

The equipment is intended to help farmers and small businesses process agricultural produce locally, reduce dependence on conventional fuel-powered machinery and create opportunities for income generation.

Access to dependable electricity could also support healthcare facilities, schools, workshops and other services that face difficulties operating without a stable power supply.

Public-private investment model

The Talasse project also features a financing arrangement in which the Gombe State Government participated as an equity investor alongside the private developer.

Mids Dynamics Limited managing director Khalid Mohammed said the arrangement marked a departure from conventional renewable energy projects, with the state taking a direct ownership stake in the facility alongside performance-based grant support.

He said the company’s renewable energy projects had attracted more than $30 million in grant funding and private equity into Gombe State, while additional investments were being developed.

Mohammed also disclosed that the company had a 30-megawatt-peak project portfolio under development in the state, with another 40MW in the pipeline.

Balanga Local Government chairman Ibrahim Salihu urged residents to protect the infrastructure and use the electricity to improve businesses, education, healthcare and other productive activities.

The commissioning marks a major change in electricity access for Talasse, while the planned 16MW expansion could extend the benefits of renewable power to additional communities across Gombe State.