By Jonathan Lois
The Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Project worth over $1.3 billion which will add 700 Mega Watts of electricity to the national grid will be commissioned next year, the Deputy Project Manager, Li Xiao Ming has said.
In a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, Xiao Ming said the first turbine which will generate 175 Mega Watts of electricity will be commissioned first quarter of 2022.
According to him, the second turbine which will also generate 175 Mega Watts of electricity is expected to be commissioned second quarter of 2022, third turbine expected to be commissioned in third quarter of , 2022 while the fourth, which is the last is expected to come on stream in December same year.
It would be recalled that the Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Project being constructed by a Consortium. of CNEEC and SINOHYDRO is a 700 megawatts (940,000hp) hydroelectric power plant under construction in Niger state, Nigeria.
When completed, it will be the second largest hydroelectric power project in the country behind the 760 megawatts (1,020,000 hp) Kainji hydroelectric power project.
It is also one of the biggest power projects in Africa to secure preferential loan facility from the Export-Import Bank (Exim Bank) of China.
Speaking further on the project, the Deputy Project Manager said the project is estimated to generate 2.64 billion kWh of electricity annually which according to him will meet close to 10 percent of Nigeria’s total domestic energy needs.
He explained that in addition to generation of electricity, the plant will also provide flood control, irrigation as well as water supply and fish breeding facilities to host communities and beyond and is expected to provide direct and indirect employment opportunities to more than 2,000 people.
Also speaking on the benefits of the projects to Nigeria and Nigerians, the Assistant Human Resources Manager, Aliyu Muhammad Temaku said that the plant will provide a huge respite both to the epileptic power sector and the struggling economy of the country when completed.
“Sinohydro Electric Power Project is the contractor handling the construction of 700mw electricity in Zungeru, Niger state. The project which started sometimes in 2013 with contract sum of $1.3 billion is at the moment 95% completion stage”, he stated.
The project, according to him was initially expected to be delivered in six years starting from 2013 but because of some unforeseen challenges, both artificial and natural disasters, the initial date could not be met.
“Right now, the first unit of 175 turbines is expected to be commissioned in first quarter 2022 hopefully with the work progress and workforce we have at the moment the target would be met.
“The dam, like I said earlier is supposed to generate 700mw of electricity which will add to the national grid and it has four components of 175 turbines each, so the first unit is 175mw which is to be delivered first quarter of 2022, then subsequently the remaining three components”, he further explained.
Enumerating some of the debilitating problems hindering the deadline fir the completion of the project, Temaku, said “before now there were issues of compensation which at this moment has been addressed by the Federal Government and COVID-19 which led to a global shut down.”
He lamented that during the period, greater percentage of the employees had to go home in order to curb the spread of the virus and that in 2019, there was flood which he said further delayed the project.
