Nigeria’s Nuclear Power Generation Project: Current State and Future Prospects

Abstract

The industrialization programme of any nation is driven by its power sector so that the industrialization process becomes epileptic when the power sector becomes epileptic. This has been the challenge facing Nigeria. The national grid has an installed capacity of 6,000 MW, but only about 4,000 MW is obtainable. Also, pipeline vandalisation disrupts the supply lines to the few functional plants, while water shortage and irregular supply incapacitate the effective functioning of the nation’s hydroelectric power plants. These factors along with the increasing national energy demand for both domestic and industrial purposes made the nuclear power option attractive to Nigeria and informed the nation’s pursuit of the nuclear power option. Nuclear power has not only been adjudged economically competitive and environmentally friendly, but is also a viable alternative for long-term energy security. Nuclear power plants have low operational costs and the added advantage of long life spans. This paper examines Nigeria’s nuclear power generation programme with emphasis on how far Nigeria has gone, the successes recorded, the problems encountered and the plans to be implemented for the first nuclear power plant to become functional. The various issues of concern in deploying nuclear power plants for electricity generation are also discussed.

Keywords: Nigeria atomic energy commission, nuclear power plants, nuclear reactors, energy