Nuclear Energy Will Solve Nigeria's Energy Problems

Buy an ad on DigitalJournal.com

Nigeria has suffered from an intermittent and unreliable energy supply for many years. This may soon be a past experience. According to a report in AllAfrica News construction of a nuclear power plant will begin in 2011.

Dr. Franklin Erepamo Osaisai is the Director-General of the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) and he says that construction of the plant, the nation’s first, will begin in 4 years time. The design certification and regulatory approvals will be concluded by 2009 and power generation is expected to begin in 2017.

The anticipated capacity of the system will be 1,000MW by 2017 and this will increase to 4,000 by 2027.

Osaisai claims that it is more cost effective to operate a nuclear power plant even if the initial phases are capital intensive, Osaisai adds, the return on investment is faster than other technologies.

Long term funding is crucial to the nuclear project’s success.

"A sustained long-term funding is required to uplift the research and nuclear infrastructure and capacity building during this gestation period of about 10 years,"

Nigeria has taken the first steps towards the development of nuclear power and if they can get the required funding it is likely they will continue on that path.