Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lagos (Agenzia Fides)- Work to construct Nigeria's first nuclear power plant will start in 2011. This was announced yesterday 26 July by the chairman of the Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission Dr Franklin Erepamo Osaisai who said the Commission would approve the certification of the project before the end of 2009. Production of energy is expected to start in 2017. However the head of the Atomic Energy Commission did not say who would supply the know how and technology for the plant's construction.
Dr Osaisai said the newly elected Nigerian president Umar Musa Yar'Adua supports the NAEC's plan to develop atomic energy in three stages and to produce 1.000 Megawatt of energy by 2017 and 4.000 Megawatt by 2027 with atomic plants.
Osaisai warned however that an ongoing financial effort will be necessary “to support research infrastructures and building capacity during the 10 years of development" of the country's first atomic plant. The head of the Commission said that in this period national energy needs will vary between the 28,360Megawatt and 31,240Megawatt. Nigeria at the moment has the capacity in theory to produce 6,000Megawatt, but only 4,000Megawatt are actually available with consequent black outs and poor service almost everywhere.
The people in charge of Nigerian electricity production expect to generate within the next decade between 3,000 and 5,000 Megawatt of power with hydro-electric sources and between 7.000 and 9,000 Megawatt with petroleum and gas run thermal plants. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 27/2007 righe 27 parole 272)
