Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has thrown his weight behind a strategic partnership with the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission to advance the development of nuclear power facilities in the country.
Speaking in Abuja during a courtesy visit by the Acting Chairman of NAEC, Engr. Anthony Ekedewa, Adelabu emphasized the potential of nuclear energy to significantly boost Nigeria’s power generation capacity.
He described nuclear technology as the future of energy in Nigeria, especially given the nation’s current struggle to generate an average of 5,000 Megawatts for a population exceeding 230 million.
A statement released by the Ministry of Power revealed that the proposed collaboration aims to bolster electricity generation and support ongoing reforms in the power sector.
Adelabu highlighted the advanced nature of nuclear power and its potential to simplify the process of electricity production through cutting-edge technology.
He acknowledged the crucial role the NAEC can play in achieving energy stability and noted that their involvement in the sector was long overdue.
“A lot of investment has gone into the development of the commission over the years and Nigeria should start reaping from the investment,” he stated.
However, the Minister advised the commission to reconsider its plan to construct four large nuclear power plants, each with a capacity of 1,200 Megawatts.
Instead, he advocated for a modular reactor approach, citing the government’s decentralisation of the power sector.
“This is an area that States can benefit from,” Adelabu said. “Although the process is tedious and costly, the outcome is more beneficial to the country, adding that nuclear power plant is an advanced stage of energy generation.”
“I wish we are there already in this country, but we are not there yet. We should however ask ourselves, how much of the conventional source of energy have we exploited? Nuclear power plant tends to be at the lower end of concern over the years, but we have to understand that nuclear energy is the future of energy generation,” he added.
Earlier, Engr. Ekedewa provided an overview of NAEC’s activities since its establishment in 1976 during the military regime of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He reiterated nuclear energy’s capacity to serve as a reliable renewable energy source capable of powering the nation.
“We want to work and partner with you in the area of power generation. We can be a base load for the country and we have two possible sites, Geregu in Kogi State and Idu in Akwa Ibom State. We have carried out the feasibility studies. This collaboration is part of our energy policy, but we are however limited by resources to undertake this project,” Ekedewa explained.
