Nigeria's first nuclear power plant ready in 2026

 



ACCORDING TO PUNCHNG, Nigerians clamouring for diversified sources of energy to resolve the nation’s perennial electricity crisis will have to wait till 2026 for the first nuclear power plant to be constructed by National Atomic Energy Commission to be ready.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali, and Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, NAEC, Dr. Erepamo Osaisai, confirmed this in an interview with journalists at the ongoing Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review Mission in Nigeria.

According to Osaisai, the first nuclear power plant will have the capacity to produce 1,000MW, which will be expanded to 4,000MW within 10 years of the establishment of the plant.

He said the need for safety and security of power infrastructure could not be sacrificed at the altar of expediency even though the nation required urgent solution to its power crisis.

Osaisai said, “Planning and implementing a nuclear power programme takes time. When you consider the national situation where we need significant amount of generation, the timeframe for implementing a nuclear power programme may appear like eternity but the key issue is that implementing a nuclear power programme comes with a large number of obligations.

“Nigeria is committed to ensuring that we are able to maintain a strict regime of safety, security and safeguard. That requires emplacement of key infrastructure. It takes time to develop it on the order of about 10 to 15 years even for very developed countries.

“So, it may appear that we have been doing it for a long time but we have just been meticulous, wanting to ensure that we are able to do it right. That is why it appears to be taking time but it has to be done right.”

source: punchng