Nigeria Gets IAEA Backing for Construction of Nuclear Power Plant

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) yesterday said Nigeria’s desire to build a nuclear power plant was capable of lifting its electricity supply base to a new level.

The Deputy Director-General, Technical Cooperation of IAEA, Dr. Kwaku Aning, disclosed this when he visited the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, in Abuja.
He said though complex, the desired nuclear power project was achievable.

Aning promised that the agency was ready to assist Nigeria in ensuring a smooth and adequate preparation for the construction of the project, adding that it was better to put in place measures that avert pollution than trying to clean up possible disasters.

He explained that the regulatory role of the international body is to ensure that countries which are deploying nuclear energy have the right technical staff as well as a safe environment because nuclear power is a complex energy source.

According to him: “Energy is life, we support countries’ energy efficiency programmes, we exchange idea in order to strengthen our regulatory role.”

Nebo on his part, assured the IAEA that Nigeria was doing everything required to ensure that the programme is successful and safe as the government continues to diversify its energy mix.

He noted that nuclear power technology remained the cleanest and safest means of generating electricity, adding that this informed the government’s determination to go into the project.

“I will like to assure that Nigeria is determined to have a robust security sensitive energy mix because no country can actually survive by putting all its eggs in one basket.

“For instance, in Nigeria today a lot of premium is placed on gas-to-power and because of all kinds of disruptions, that is not a safe sure banker for us at all times,” Nebo said.

He further explained: “And we cannot afford to put all energy there and to be driven by gas-to-power alone.

“We need coal, we need to strengthen the hydro power stations and we are building more, we also need renewable especially solar, wind, biomass, and also atomic energy.

“It is critical for us because we know that nuclear energy when well designed properly and with all the security and safety issues considered is one of the cleanest and safest means of producing power,” he stated.

Thisday