Construction of the 40-year old abandoned Mambilla hydropower project in Nigeria will commence before end of 2020. Nigeria’s Minister of Energy, Sale Mamman revealed the report and said that the dispute blocking the development is almost resolved. “The case is almost closed. The Attorney General Abubakar Malami is in the process of finalising the terms of the agreement. This outcome will allow work to begin on the hydroelectric project,” he said. Sunrise Power and Transmission is behind this legal twist.
The Nigerian company has filed a lawsuit against the Nigerian federal government before the Commercial Court in Paris. This legal action follows the cancellation in 2007 of its contract in favour of the Chinese companies Sinohydro and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC). Sunrise Power is therefore claiming damages of US $2.3bn from the government.
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Mambilla hydropower project
Construction of the Mambilla hydropower project would cost US $5.72bn. Federal Executive Council (FEC) had already approved the amount which would be raised as a loan from the Chinese Government. It is expected to provide 3.05GW of electricity and will be raised on the Dongo River at Gembu village, becoming one of the largest water reservoirs in West Africa.
The construction of the hydropower project will take approximately six years because of the extensive nature of the scope of work, which include the construction of four dams, the largest dam will be 150m high. The other two will be 70m and 50m high. The water will be channelled through three tunnels of 33 km each. Part of the water, which arrives with very high pressure, will be intercepted by the Sum and Nghu dams.While another part of the water from the Mambilla dam will feed the two underground power stations built in the rock.
The project will require 31,240,000 bags of cement, 18,981,000 metric tonnes of aggregate gravels, stones, granite and sand to mix the cement. 42,000 tonnes of steel will also be needed during the construction.
For how long will FG keep making noises on this issue…….