The Federal Government is set to concession its five recently completed hydro power plants to the private sector as part of measures to boost electricity supply in the country.
Suleiman Adamu, Minister of Water Resources, who revealed this during an interactive session with newsmen in Abuja, said Nigeria has a hydro power potential of 12,220 megawatts.
Adamu explained that only about 1,930 megawatts of this potential had been developed at Kainji, Jebba and Shiroro Dams.
He revealed that the Federal Government would soon concession 30 megawatts Gurara Hydro Power plant, 40MW Kashimbilla Hydro Power plant as well as Gurara 11 Hydro Power Plant (350MW).
Other dams earmarked for concessioning, according to him, include Lokoja Hydro Power Plant (750MV) and Markudi Hydro Power plant (1000 MW).
According to him, “We are currently making progress for the concessioning of 30 MW Gurara Hydro Power plant, which is planned to come into full operations soon.
“We are also progressing on our collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to concession the 40MW Kashimbilla Hydro Power plant recently completed.
“However, both concessions are being delayed due to non-completion of the transmission lines that will evacuate the power by Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.
“In addition, we are in advanced discussions with potential investors for other hydro power projects including Gurara 11(350MW), Lokoja (750MW) and Makurdi(1000MW), among others.”
Commenting on the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari administration to create a new lease of life for the residents of Lake Chad region, Adamu said the Lake Chad environmental challenges have been brought to the attention of the international community as major cause of the insecurity in the North East.
He stated the Federal Ministry of Water Resources had championed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) and a Chinese company that is currently undertaking further feasibility study on the proposed Inter-Basin Water Transfer Project from the Congo Basin into Lake Chad.
The minister further revealed that another MoU was recently signed between LCBC and the Italian Government that had committed 1.5million euro towards finalising the feasibility studies on the proposed Inter-basin Water Transfer Project.
