Power Minister Inaugurates Coal To Power Committee

An 8-Member Committee has been inaugurated by the Hon. Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, to develop workable framework that will galvanize the use of abundant coal resources for power generation.
      
Speaking at the brief occasion the Minister described the committee’s assignment as very important, as it will bring back to life coal to power, which has been in comatose for a long time. 



He said it is refreshing that his Ministry is going beyond studies, recorded facts and rhetoric’s into actualization as the dream is at the threshold of coming true.
      
Rolling out statistics, the Minister said that Nigeria’s coal deposits spread across 19 States with significant commercial quantities in Enugu, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa and Gombe States.
      
He said the nation’s proven coal reserves is about 36 million tons and inferred reserves are in the region of 2.75 billion tons, regrettably our coal fields are being mined on skeletal basis, making our coal to be underutilized.
      
For a nation desirous of right energy mix, we must change from the current 70% thermal and 30% hydro to embrace other energy sources, just as he emphasized that no nation can survive only on 1 or 2 sources of energy.  He reasoned “that if natural disaster or through act of sabotage negatively affects any of our source of energy, it is therefore imperative to have a balanced energy mix”.
      
The Minister said that “in line with global practice, it has become urgent for the Nigeria to diversify the fuel to power generation, hence coal provides efficient source of fuel for based-load power plants”.
      
The committee which was handed over a 5 item terms of reference underpinned by the urgent need for Nigeria to effectively utilize coal for power generation, is chaired by a renowned professional, Engineer Garba Sanusi, while its co-chairman is Engr. Jonathan Ogbonna.

Speaking after the inauguration the Chairman, Garba Sanusi thanked the Minister for the confidence repose in the Members of the Committee.  He promised that the committee will be guided by the terms of reference, just as he assured Nigerians that the dream of bumper power from coal would soon be realized.

Timothy Oyedeji
Deputy Director/Head of Press