Federal Government to Begin Testing on 700MW Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant

The Federal Government, on Sunday, announced that testing has commenced on the 700 megawatts Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant ahead of the evaluation of electricity from the facility to the national grid.

It also stated that the $1.3bn project, located in Niger State, had been connected to the national grid, in contrast to claims in some quarters that the plant was not connected to the grid.

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, disclosed this while providing answers to industry questions contained in a document released in Abuja on Sunday by his Special Adviser, Strategic Communication and Media Relations, Bolaji Tunji.

The Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant is a major infrastructure project with the capacity to generate 700MW, making it the second-largest hydroelectric plant in Nigeria, behind the Kainji Dam.

The plant is to generate 2.64 billion kilowatts-hour of electricity annually, meeting nearly 10 per cent of Nigeria’s domestic energy needs.

Industry analysts say the project is expected to be a significant boost to Nigeria’s power generation and is to contribute to economic development in the region.

Providing answers to enquiries about the plant on Sunday, Adelabu said the facility had been completed, adding that its concession process had also been completed.

You will recall that in May 2023, the Federal Government stated that it had connected the Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant to the national grid, giving a boost to Nigeria’s power generation