Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has urged the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) to reconsider its plan to construct four nuclear power plants, each with a 1,200 megawatt capacity.
The caution was issued during a meeting with NAEC’s acting Chairman, Anthony Ekedewa, in Abuja on Tuesday, as detailed in a statement by Adelabu’s media aide, Bolaji Tunji, on Wednesday, May 7.
Ekedewa, while briefing the minister, said the commission was established in 1976 and had made progress in nuclear energy development.
He said, “As a renewable energy source, nuclear energy could power the entire country.”
He explained that the commission is proposing nuclear power stations with a combined capacity of about 4,800MW, stating: “We want to work and partner with you in the area of power generation.
“We can be a base load for the country, and we have two possible sites, Geregu in Kogi State and Idu in Akwa Ibom State. We have carried out the feasibility studies. This collaboration is part of our energy policy, but we are, however, limited by resources to undertake this project.”
In response, Adelabu advised against such an ambitious rollout. According to the statement, he “advised against the proposed establishment of four power plants with a capacity to generate 1,200MW each, by the commission.”
He, however, expressed openness to modular nuclear reactors, given the decentralised structure of the power sector.
“This is an area that states can benefit from. A lot of investment has gone into the development of the commission over the years, and Nigeria should start reaping from the investment,” Adelabu noted.
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Adelabu acknowledged the potential of nuclear power to transform Nigeria’s energy sector, adding that collaboration between the Ministry of Power and NAEC was long overdue.
“Nuclear power plants tend to be at the lower end of concern over the years, but we have to understand that nuclear energy is the future of energy generation,” he said.
He continued, “I wish we were there already in this country, but we are not there yet. We should, however, ask ourselves how much of the conventional sources of energy we have exploited.”
Reflecting on the lack of synergy between the ministry and NAEC, Adelabu said: “We have not been having this rapport in the past, but I’m happy we are starting from somewhere now, and I believe that we will sustain it for the overall benefit of our country.
“This is an advanced level of energy generation, but we must also embrace it because whatever can add value to our power sector, we must embrace it.”
He called for a technical workshop involving the commission, the ministry, and stakeholders in the power sector to explore ways to deepen collaboration.
“As we all know, leaders would naturally want projects that would materialise in their time in office, but any serious government will know that this is the future of the sector.
“Nuclear energy is the future of power generation. So, we must partner with you on how to improve the sector, and this meeting is the right step in the right direction.
“We have formally established a relationship with you, and we have so much to benefit from each other,” Adelabu added.