Electricity Union Harps On Coal, Hydro Power Dev

The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has called on the Federal Government to develop coal and hydro power in the search for permanent solution to the country’s energy problem.

The Secretary-General of the union, Mr. Joe Ajaero made the call in an interview with newsmen.

The union’s scribe, who was reacting to the agreement between Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) on gas supply for electricity, said though Nigeria had abundant gas reserves, the irregularity in its supply would not guarantee constant power supply.

Ajaero said government was faced with numerous challenges in the supply of gas, including pipeline vandalism and increase in tariff.

“If a power station buys gas at a high price, tariff will increase”, he said, stressing that the price of the commodity was determined by factors outside Nigeria’s control.

He, however, expressed hope that if the nation’s estimated two billion metric tonnes of coal reserves could be properly harnessed, it was capable of meeting the nation’s power needs.

According to him, the coal deposits in Kogi State alone could generate 15,000 mega- watts, and added that hydro power was a more reliable source of energy than gas.

 “If the Mambila and Zungero hydro stations are well managed, they can jointly produce 5,000 megawatts”, he said.

Ajaero, who blamed  Nigeria’s energy crisis on poor management, said most of the existing power generating stations were dormant.

Chris Oluoh