Nigeria moving ahead on nuclear power plant plan
Speaking at the Nigerian International Energy Summit in Abuja earlier this month, Idris said that Nigeria had had a small nuclear research reactor in operation for 18 years "so if anyone tells you Nigeria can’t manage a nuclear power plant - they are just telling you a story".
"There are mechanisms put in place worldwide whereby any country that has the capacity can build a nuclear power plant and Nigeria has gone far on this," he said.
"Nigeria is trying to deliver 4000 MW of electricity through nuclear power. We are planning to construct four units and currently we are at the bidding phase of the nuclear power programme in Nigeria," he said.
The country had been seeking to diversify its energy mix since the 1970s, and he estimated that the extra 4000 MW would increase Nigeria’s generating capacity to about 13,000 MW.
He said that agreements relating to the power plant project had been signed with South Korea, France, Russia and India, with the NNRA also having agreements on cooperation and training with regulators in the USA, Pakistan, South Korea and Russia.
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