The Chinese consortium, consisting of the China National Electric Engineering Company (CNEEC) and Sinohydro, has announced that the Zungeru hydropower project will generate an annual electricity output of 2.64 billion kWh.
The consortium, which made the disclosure in an issued statement released in Abuja, emphasised that the project would significantly contribute to Nigerias power generation capacity, highlighting it as a testament to the strong China-Nigeria partnership.
The Zungeru hydro-power project, he said, is designed not only to generate electricity but also to provide flood control, irrigation, water supply, and fish-breeding facilities.
Construction on the power plant began in May 2013, with an initial completion date set for 2018. However, legal and financial challenges related to ecological settlement in the affected area caused delays, and the projects commissioning was postponed until 2021. The Covid-19 pandemic further disrupted the construction schedule when the site had to be shut down in 2020.
Despite security challenges, such as attacks on workers in 2022, the project continued to progress. As of August 15, 2023, the project was successfully handed over to the Federal Government.
Located on the Kaduna River in Niger, the 700MW hydro-electric facility, costing approximately $1.3 billion (?162.9 billion), represents one of the largest power projects completed in Nigeria in the last decade and is one of the largest in Africa. It is designed to generate 2,630 GW/h of energy, with a total installed capacity of 700 MW.
The Federal Government has set ambitious targets to achieve 23% renewable electricity by 2025 and 36% by 2030.
