Zungeru hydropower plant to commence generation in 2019

THE first unit of the 700-megawatt (MW) Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant,  situated in Wushishi Local Government of Niger State would commence energy generation in 2019, the minister of power, works and housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN)  has assured.

Speaking during a  ceremony marking the river closure on the plant’s main river bed last Thursday, at the project site, the minister also disclosed that the last unit of the effort would become operational in the first quarter of 2020,  following the completion of the entire project.

Fashola who was represented by Mr Olatunji Ajayi, the Director Energy Resources of the ministry and project manager of the employer, the minister said work on the project has reached 40 per cent completion with river closure, while the gate locking and reservoir impounding would ignite generation activities.

He said the Federal Government has also evolved a programme to permanently resettle communities around the project areas with compensation of the affected people simultaneously as work progresses.

Also in his remarks at the occasion,  the Vice President of Power China International Group Limited, Mr Tian Haihua said the main river bed closure would galvanise activities leading to the eventual completion of the project, which he said, was capable of generating 10,000 direct jobs, while assuring that contractors would work in-line with the contract specification.

Meanwhile, Niger state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, who was also  represented by the state Commissioner of works and housing, Malam Abdulmalik Cheche assured the contractors of state government support in actualising the project.

He also assured people of the affected communities that resettlement and compensation matters would be resolved in no distance future