Institute kicks against govt’s nuclear plans

The Nigerian Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (NIEEE) has condemned the Federal Government move to deploy nuclear technology to solve the country’s lingering electricity crisis.

The association, in a statement signed by the National Chairman, Emmanuel Akinwole, said that the country lacks the critical factor of maintenance culture to engage itself in such a high discipline project.

He hinted that Europe was scaling down on the use of nuclear technology due to attendant risks and costs.

He said that, almost all projects of such magnitude in the past were either not completed or could not be managed and sustained.

Akinwole noted that there are many projects that could boost the economy of the nation which are not properly managed, such as Ajaokuta steel mills, Aluminium smelting plant, Nigerian paper mills, Disco, Gencos and others have to be privatised because they remain moribund.

He warned the government to jettison the idea of deploying nuclear technology in the generation of power for now and focus its resources to unlock the about 5,000mw generating capacity nearing completion stalled by lack of connecting gas pipelines to generating plants and supporting transmission infrastructure to wheel the energy to Disco.

He however added that, the nation cannot continue to toy with unrealistic ideas at a time the country is facing its crucial energy crises.

The association implores the current administration to explore other alternatives in coal and solar which the nation is abundantly blessed with rather to generate electricity through the nuclear energy.