Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant To Commence Operations In Q2 Of 2023

Reports have emerged that the $1.3bn Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant is set to commence operations in the second quarter of the year 2023.

Naija News gathered that concession of the plant would be completed in March 2023 and operations are forecasted to begin in quarter two of next year.

The development is a sequel to the closing of the submission of bids from investors on November 24, after the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE), recently the bid process.

The Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant, which is funded by a loan from China’s Exim Bank is located at Zungeru in Niger State.

The plant is estimated to generate 2.64 billion kWh of electricity yearly to augment the domestic energy needs of the country by about 10%.

Plans for the concession of the 700MW plant, which is the biggest of its type had been underway since 2021, as the federal government is currently seeking private partners to repay the loan for its construction.

Naija News understands that the concession of the project is a move by the federal government to reduce the government’s financing of the plant.

The winner of the bid as learnt by this platform will operate the plant for 30 years before transferring it back to the government.

Industry experts have said that the project when commissioned, would supplement Nigeria’s power generation which has been staggering around 4000MW.

The Zungeru plant is the first dam in the country constructed using the Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) innovative dam design technology, which is meant to reduce the overall construction period and start footprint when compared to a typical gravity dam.

Naija News recalls that the BPE in October released a final request for qualification for the project concession after the agency revealed in July that the National Council on Privatization approved the strategy and work plan to fast-track the concession of the plant.

The enterprise had also said that after the release of the RFQ, it would release a shortlist of prospective investors; the issue of RFQ; evaluation of technical proposals; and shortlist prospective investors for financial bid opening; as well as set a date for the financial bid opening, all within a short timeframe.