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.
A structural failure of water intake in one of the four turbine generator units saw the plant’s power output drop from 600mw to 450mw recently. However, following its repairs, the nation is set to get a boost in its power supply.
Mr. Peters added that with the rise of water level in the dam, the power plant can generate up to 800 megawatts.
“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 yesterday in Shiroro, Niger State, at the completion of repair works on Unit 4 Water Intake of the plant, Peters said the unit has been down since 2010, adding that the damage became more visible as it was not serviced.
According to him, about $8.5million was expended to bring the unit back to live, adding that it was now functioning well.
In the same vein, 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.
