Nigerian government inaugurates 40MW hydropower plant in Gombe
The Minister of Water Resources, Alhaji Suleiman Adamu, inaugurated a multi-purpose Dadin Kowa Dam and 40 megawatts hydropower plant in Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area of Gombe State.
Speaking at the occasion, Adamu said the power project was an integral component of the Dadin Kowa dam, completed and connected to the national grid.
He said, “The 2.8 million cubic litres reservoir-capacity dam was built in 1988 with the goal of providing 30,000 cubic litres of water daily to residents of Gombe and its environs.
“The dam was also designed to provide water to 6,000 hectares of land for irrigation and 40 megawatts of electricity in the area.”
The minister said that to ensure effective utilisation of the dam, the Federal Government signed a concession agreement with Mabon Limited, to design and construct a 40 megawatrs hydropower generating component.
He, however, said the hydropower component of the project suffered series of abandonments, but later completed by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
According to Adamu, the power plant will accelerate Industrialisation, promote medium scale industries and generate employment.
The minister said the power station comprised of 2/20MW hydropower turbine generators, transmission stations, transformers, 123KV switching station, among other equipments.
He said statutory inspection, testing and certification of the units of the power plant had been completed, making it ready for inauguration.
The minister appreciated the collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Power, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), among others, which yielded a positive result.
In his remarks, Alhaji Halilu Muazu, Managing Director, Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority, listed other benefits of the dam to include fisheries, flood control and protection of biodiversity in upstream and downstream.
Gov. Inuwa Yahaya said the inauguration was an important milestone in the energy independence of the North-East region
“The Dadin/Kowa and Kashimbila hydropower projects are the only grid generating plant in the region. The two power projects are crucial to the grid and the voltage stability,” he said.
Yahaya said the sighting of the Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park in Dadin Kowa was informed by the proximity of the hydropower project and the vast potential of the dam, especially the irrigation segment.
According to him, the state government is working on a-200 megawatts solar power project under the Northern Governor’s renewable energy initiative.
The state, he said, would harness hydropower in Balanga dam to boost its energy generation.
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