Repaired Shiroro Dam to improve power supply by 150mw

The repairs on the fourth turbine of the Shiroro Hydro Dam in Niger State has been completed and there is hope of  improved power supply in the country as a result of the development.

The turbine which collapsed since 2010 had defiled all efforts to bring it back on stream until a few days back when work the engineers was able complete the work.

The fourth turbine is expected to contribute 150 megawatts of electricity would to the national grid which would consequently bring the total output from Shiroro dam to 600 megawatts as the three working turbines are said to be supplying 450 megawatts. The repairs on the turbine was said to be in the region $8.5million.

The Executive Vice Chairman of North South Power Company Limited, Mr. Olubunmi Peters, described the successful repair on the turbine as a breakthrough, adding that the engineers who handled the project faced enormous safety and technical challenges.

He described the work as an engineering feat as the damage to the turbine occurred about 60 metres under zero visibility water and was therefore difficult to access for repair, adding that there were concerns about the possibility of further catastrophic failure to the entire dam.

The dam that was inaugurated in 1990 by General Ibrahim Babangida was said to have not had any major repairs since it was commissioned.