Two ministries of the Federal Government are in partnership with the private sector to add 3,595 megawatts of electricity to the country’s power grid, it was learnt on Sunday.
Documents obtained from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources showed that the ministry was collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Power and private sector operators through the Public Private Partnership arrangement to generate 3,595MW of electricity from dams.
The latest report on Dams and Reservoir Operations of the FMPR indicated that the Federal Government had entered into partnership with private sector players to develop nine dams that would produce the stipulated quantum of electricity.
Nigeria’s power generation currently hovers between 3,500MW to 4,500MW. Figures obtained by our correspondent from the FMP on Sunday showed that off-peak and peak power generation on the grid the preceding day were 3,317.3MW and 4,600.5MW respectively, while at 6am on Sunday it was 3,883MW.
“The Federal Ministry of Water Resources is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Power for the development under Public Private Arrangement, of (nine) hydropower plants,” the FMWR stated in its report.
It outlined the dams/the quantum of electricity being developed from each of them to include the Makurdi hydropower dam, 1,500MW; Lokoja, 750MW; Katsina-Ala, 460MW; Gurara II, 360MW; and Tede, 220MW.
Others included: Mangu, 182MW; Itisi Dam, 40MW; Kiri, 36MW; and Farin Ruwa, 20MW.
A dam is a barrier constructed across a water course to impound or divert water. It helps in water supply, irrigation, hydropower generation, among others.
The report stated that Nigeria had over 400 dams, located in various parts of the country and owned by the three tiers of government.
“These dams, if efficiently operated and maintained, can provide 11.2 billion cubic metres of water for irrigation, water supply and hydropower generation across the country,” the FMWR stated.
Commenting on dams under the management of the ministry, the Minister of Water Resources, Sulieman Adamu, stated that out of the 37 ongoing dam projects inherited by the current administration, 12 had been completed, while 20 had been prioritised for completion by 2023.
“Of the 41 inherited ongoing water supply projects, 16 have been completed while eight have been prioritised for completion between now and 2023,” he stated.
Adamu added, “Of the 38 inherited irrigation projects, 10 are fully completed while eight are at different advanced levels of completion.
“Intervention in water supply has brought about the completion of many projects with a total capacity of 386,213,690 litres/day and enabling 15.1 million population coverage within the last 6.5 years.”
