AEDC, Daystar sign agreement to provide power supply to Abuja furniture firm

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc (AEDC) says it has signed a tripartite agreement with Daystar Power Solutions Limited (Daystar Power)  and The Wood Factory Limited (Wood Factory), to pioneer the delivery of its first grid-connected and solar hybrid power solution.

Under the agreement, AEDC said it would provide 18 hours of electricity supply to Wood Factory, a furniture manufacturer, while Daystar Power, a Shell subsidiary, would provide six hours of solar-powered electricity to the factory.

Both companies, according to a statement on Friday, will utilise interconnected power facilities to provide a seamless electricity supply and great value to the customer.

The AEDC said Wood Factory should see an annual drop in carbon emissions of 76 percent and an estimated 44 percent reduction in energy expenses as a result of the integrated power solution.

“The unique value offering is in furtherance of AEDC’s transformational strategic objective of redefining customers’ experience by providing reliable electricity supply to both existing and new customers, including the unserved and underserved customers,” the statement reads.

“Under the ongoing transformation of AEDC, the Management of the company is driving its repositioning as a clear leader amongst the power distribution companies (DisCos) in Nigeria.”

Speaking on the transaction, Christopher Ezeafulukwe, managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) of AEDC, expressed excitement about the great opportunities the transformation and turnaround of AEDC heralds “ to serve our customers, both new and existing, in more delightful ways”.

“This project is a product of our consistent questioning of the status quo in the resilient push of our conviction and belief in using diversified energy sources to serve our customers better, while closing the supply gap in our market,” he said.

He also said the signed agreement will reposition AEDC’s network, focusing on industrials and commercials, and repositioning the firm to better serve all customer bands within its network.

On his part, Jasper Graf von Hardenberg, CEO of Daystar Power, also expressed excitement about the innovative interconnected solar installation.

“Working together with DisCos, we can provide reliable and affordable power to Nigerian businesses which will save on energy costs to reinvest in their operations,” he said.

“Our partnership with AEDC supports this position. It is just the beginning; we are looking forward to developing more hybrid solar projects for C&I customers in partnership with the likes of AEDC.”

Also commenting on the deal, Mohamed Akar, director and general manager of the Wood Factory, expressed enthusiasm for the transition from self-generated to integrated power supply offered by AEDC and Daystar.

“We’re thrilled that we’ll soon be switching to a reliable integrated power solution to power our factory,” he said.

“For many years, we’ve operated on diesel generators, which is hardly sustainable or affordable.”

With the partnership, he believes that the future of the Wood Factory business is brighter.