From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The European Union (EU) said it’s exploring the potential for establishing a hydropower generation site at Asso falls in Plateau state.
Head of Green and Digital Economy at the EU Delegation in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Inga Stefanowicz, stated this during the delegation’s visit to the state to assess the Asso falls.
She emphasised the importance of collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Power to integrate the project into Nigeria’s larger electricity market development. “With sufficient electricity generation, we will have agriculture, industry, and tourism.
She further explained that the hydropower project which is expected to generate 2MW of electricity is part of the EU’s mandate and partnership with the state to provide clean, safe, affordable, and renewable energy sources to the people of the state, especially towards supporting sustainable agricultural practices, industry, tourism, and boosting the economy of the state.
She also disclosed that the EU is working with the Plateau state government, and other stakeholders to evaluate the technical, financial, and environmental feasibility of the hydropower project.
“Plateau State, with its rich agricultural potential, could benefit greatly from reliable energy, boosting crop production and agro-processing,” she stated.
Programme Manager, Energy and Circular Economy, EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Godfrey Ogbemudia, reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to sustainability, saying, “We want to be sure that EU taxpayers’ money is fully utilised. It’s not a donation. You could transport all the power from here to any other agricultural hub where pre-processing is happening.”
Harping on the importance of continued collaboration, Head of GIZ’s Sustainability Energy Access Component, Eckhard Heine, said, “We are in dialogue with the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), to disseminate the information they have, so we can engage the state level effectively.”
Technical Adviser at GIZ, Alexander Akolo, noted that the Governor of Plateau state, Caleb Mutfwang, recently signed the State Electricity Law which contains areas for improvement. “We can support reviewing it (the Law) because of the support in developing other instruments like mini-grid policy for the state.”
In his address, the Managing Director of the Plateau State Energy Corporation, Ponzing Gamde, stated that the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is conducting a feasibility study to determine the potential capacity of the hydropower project.
“UNIDO is currently conducting a feasibility study here. They have done their preliminary data collection and will now come up with a design to know the potential capacity that can be generated from here. With this power, there will also be an improvement of cultural activities. The power will ensure activities don’t stop at certain points,” he said.
A member of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon. Engr. Owen Karyit Dagogot, expressed full support for the project, saying, “This place is going to be utilised to its full potential. It is an advantage because you already have a solid ground.”
Director of Technical Services at the Plateau State Energy Corporation, Sam Gyang Yakubu, who spoke about the technical aspects of the project, noted that while the dam construction typically takes time, the timeline for the project could be as short as two to three years. “Evacuation is not going to be a challenge here, based on the way we have set up the whole layout,” he said.