Electricity supply to improve as Shiroro plant adds 150mw

The nation is set to get a boost in its power supply as the Shiroro Hydroelectric Power Station has increased its power output by 150 megawatts (mw), the Executive Vice Chairman of North South Power Company Limited, Engineer Olubunmi Peters, has said.

The reduction of Shiroro plant output from 600mw to 450mw was due to the structural failure of water intake of one of the four turbine generator units which has been repaired.

Peters said with the rise of water, the power plant can generate 800 megawatts which will further boost the power supply in the country.

“The damage of Unit 4 occurred about 60 meters under zero visibility water. It was difficult to access and repair. This raised concern about further catastrophic failure. This factors cast a shadow on the viability of the unit which resulted to the reduction of Shiroro Hydro Plant power output from 600 megawatts to 450mw,” he said.

Addressing newsmen in Shiroro at the completion of repair works on Unit 4 Water Intake of the plant, Olubunmi said the unit has been down since 2010, adding that the damage became more visible as it was not serviced.

He said about 8.5 million dollars was expended to bring the unit back to functioning capacity, adding that it was now functioning well.

The Chief Operating Officer of Shiroro station, Engineer Daudu Abdul-Aziz, assured that the power station would do its best to live up to its corporate social responsibility to the host communities.