THE Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), Professor Lawrence Dim, has observed that it might take between 10 to 20 years to set up a Nuclear Power Plant to generate uninterrupted power supply in Nigeria.
He made this known during the 4th NNRA workshop for editors and correspondents on nuclear safety and radiological protection, which was held at Newton Park Hotel, Abuja.
Professor Dim, who stressed that it takes quite a long time to set it up, but it could run effectively for close to 80 years, when it starts running, added that Nigeria was ripe enough to use nuclear power to generate uninterrupted power supply for the entire populace, hence, the reason the country would set up first hotline by 2025.
According to him, there is an agency who is saddled with that responsibility, and that is Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC). Our is regulation, but as also a practitioner, even to set up a Nuclear Power Programme, even from the point of view of industrialise work, it takes quite a long time, it takes between up to 10 to 20 years to set it up, and once it starts running, it can run for close to 80 years.
“From what we know from the authority that is charged with that responsibilities, they will be able to do this by setting up first hotline by 2025, that is what we know and we are also key into that timeline and continue doing our own work, this is known by both the Nigeria authority and international committee.
“There are legs out that can disturb us from doing it, but Nigerians are not that careless people, sometimes we underrate ourselves, but we can do many things which many people outside Nigeria respect us for, even more than the way we respect ourselves,” he boosted.
On Nuclear Security Centre, Professor Dim said it depends on what Nigeria wanted, pointing out that it would take a time to develop it and also cost the country billions of dollars.
Professor Dim, who also announced that it has already been established at NNRA because the authority has the mandate to establish it, further, added that it remained building of infrastructure which would gulp quantum of money.
He pointed out that the NNRA has commenced training in that respect for frontline officers, which include police, civil defence, immigration, custom among others who were trained as first respondents.
Speaking on the topic: “NNRA Success in Ensuring Safety of Lives and the Environment,” the DG said with the Act No 19 of 1995 established the agency, the NNRA has the responsibility to ensure the protection of life, health of Nigerians, as well as their properties and their environment from harmful effects of ionising radiation.
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