Role of Renewable Energy in Powering Health Facilities in Rural Plateau State, North Central Nigeria

Unreliable electricity supply in rural primary healthcare centres severely undermines vaccine cold chain integrity, surgical lighting, medical equipment operation, and overall healthcare delivery quality in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria. This study examines the role of renewable energy, specifically solar photovoltaic systems, in powering rural health facilities across three local government areas of Plateau State. Facility energy audits were conducted at 18 primary healthcare centres to document electrical loads, existing power infrastructure, and operational downtime attributable to power outages. Interviews with healthcare workers, facility managers, and patients were used to assess the health service impact of energy unreliability. Solar system sizing and battery storage calculations were performed for each facility based on critical load inventories. Cost estimates for solar installations were benchmarked against recurrent diesel expenditure to demonstrate financial viability. Findings indicate that solar power systems installed in six facilities since 2022 have eliminated vaccine spoilage incidents and extended daily service hours by an average of four hours. Healthcare workers in solar-powered facilities report improved staff morale and patient confidence. The study recommends a phased programme to solar-electrify all 94 rural primary healthcare centres in Plateau State within five years, to be coordinated by the Plateau State Primary Health Care Development Agency with support from development partners. Keywords: solar energy, health facilities, Plateau State, rural electrification, healthcare delivery.