The Japanese Government, through its
agency, Japan International Cooperation Agency, has donated solar power
worth $9.7 million to the Federal Government to boost electricity in the
country.
The Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, Mr
Sadanobu Kusaoke, disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday during the
inauguration of the project.
Kusaoke stated that Japan considered the
power sector as one of the most important areas to enhance Nigeria’s
socio-economic development.
He said, “Since from 1970s, Japan has
helped to finance power sector to increase the capacity of power in
Kainji dam hydro power station.
“This is the 10th project of power sector by the Japan’s government since then and this will not be our last.”
He said the project which entailed the
introduction of clean energy by solar electricity was donated by the
government of Japan to boost power and water supply at Usman Dam Water
Treatment Plant.
He said, “The project is being executed
with grant assistance worth Nine Hundred and Eighty Million Japanese YEN
(980,000,000 JPY) (equivalent to approximately 9.7 million USD) through
JICA.”
According to Kusaoke, stable power supply is crucial to support industry and to improve economy and the lives of people.
The ambassador emphasised the importance of stable power supply to Nigeria’s quest to diversify her economy.
He commended the designer of the
project, Toyota Tsusho Corporation, for its design, management and the
completion of the project on schedule.
Kusaoke, who explained that the project
was capable of generating 1,496MWH, added that this would result in
reduction of N31.5 million per year for payment of the electricity bill.
Earlier, Mr Hirotaka Nakamura, Chief
Representative of JICA, Nigeria office, said improving core
infrastructure including power sector in Nigeria was one of the priority
areas of the agency in Nigeria.
According to Nakamura, developing
alternative energy resources such as solar, wind and hydropower will
boost electricity in the country.
He explained that the project was
designed to introduce a demonstration unit of solar electricity
generation system with a view to increasing its economic strength on a
sustainable basis.
According to the JICA official, with the
Japanese assistance, about 1.2 mw of grid connected solar generation
will be gained at Usman Dam Water Treatment Plant to supplement
electricity supply from the national grid.
He said, “Following successful tests on
the installed solar system, the first phase of the project with
generation capacity of 975kwp is being commissioned today.
“The second phase will bring additional 207kwp generation to this system hopefully in January 2017.”
Nakamura further stated that the project
would contribute to the improvement of quality water supply in the
Federal Capital Territory.
He, therefore, appealed to the FCT
administration through its water board to handle the project with care
and also provide sufficient funds to maintain the generation system.
In his remark, Alhaji Hudu Bello, the
Director, FCT Water Board, who expressed gratitude to the government of
Japan and its agency JICA, said the project would improve revenue
accruable from the water sector in the FCT.
He said, “This is elaborate project that
will improve water supply to the residents of Abuja; it will also
reduce the rate at which we consume diesel to pump water.”
Bello said the project would reduce the
cost of generating electricity and also contribute power to the national
grid to improve supply within the nation’s capital.
NAN
