The Mambilla hydropower plant is said to become the second-largest hydropower plant in Africa. With a capacity of 3.05GW, it is expected to produce about 4.7 billion kWh of electricity per year.
Lately, discussions have hung around the hydropower plant, the allocated funds, and its eventual completion.
Firstly, the project is being undertaken by the Federal Ministry of Power, Construction and Housing with the aid of Chinese investments. It is expected to cost $5.8 billion and generate about 50,000 jobs.
As the project proceeds, president Muhammadu Buhari gave a directive to the Nigerian Sovereign investment community (NSIA) to scrutinise the engineering value of the proposed power plant project.
The directive from the president resulted in ‘shaking tables’ as a lot of reasons and excuses were presented. The Senate demanded an explanation from the Minister of Power on how the funds allocated of ₦812 million on land demarcation was spent. The minister, in response, said the funds were handed to the Taraba State Government.
Further to the hiccups on how the funds were spent, the minister of power briefed the Senate committee that the project has been revised from 3,050MW to 1,520MW and from three dams to two dams, but the annual energy yield of 4.7 billion kWh will remain constant.
In addition, he emphasised that the reduction of the project is to make it bankable to attract investors and viable for lenders (learn more).
It is not yet specified when the Mambilla hydropower project will be completed. Still, the minister assured that the plant factor would increase from 20 per cent to about 40 per cent and with the plant in operation, tariffs generated from the plant will come down by half.