Nigeria is in talks with Russia’s Rosatom Corp. to build as many as four nuclear power plants costing about $80 billion as Africa’s biggest economy seeks to add 1,200 megawatts of capacity by the end of the decade.
“A joint coordination committee is in place and negotiations are ongoing for financing and contracting,” Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Franklin Erepamo Osaisai said at a conference in Kenya’s Kwale coastal region on Monday. “We are meticulously implementing our plans.”
The West African nation signed an agreement with Rosatom to cooperate on the design, construction, operation and decommissioning of a facility in 2012. A further three nuclear plants are planned, taking total capacity to 4,800 megawatts by 2035, with each facility costing $20 billion, Osaisai said. The first Nigerian plant will be operational in 2025.
Peak electricity output of Africa’s biggest economy is about 3,800 megawatts, with a further 1,500 megawatts unavailable because of gas shortages. South Africa, with a third of Nigeria’s population yet eight times more installed capacity, has also signed an agreement with Rosatom as the nation looks to add 9,600 megawatts of atomic power to its strained grid.
South Africa’s agreement with Rosatom gave the company the right to veto the nation doing business with any other nuclear vendor, Johannesburg-based Mail & Guardian reported in February.
Cooperation Meeting
Rosatom and Nigerian officials met last month within the framework of a 2009 intergovernmental agreement to discuss cooperation, Rosatom spokesman Sergei Novikov said by phone from Istanbul. To date, no memorandums have been signed about the development of a nuclear plant, he said.
Rosatom will hold a majority, controlling stake in Nigeria’s nuclear facility while the rest will be owned by the country, with roles to be specified in contracts, Osaisai said. “The government will enter a power-purchasing agreement for the nuclear plant.”
The plants will be financed by Rosatom, which will then build, own, operate and transfer them to the government, he said.
Rosatom is marketing its reactors with generous financing offers as Moscow seeks new markets for its technology amid a looming recession. Over the last year, its international portfolio of orders has grown to more than $100 billion, including deals to build new reactors in Iran, Hungary, India and Jordan.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Russia agreed last year on a 12 billion-euro ($12.7 billion) deal to expand the Paks nuclear power plant, scrapping plans for competitive bids for the biggest Hungarian public contract in a generation.
Under the deal, which Hungary’s parliament classified for 30 years, Russia agreed to provide 10 billion euros for the project in a 30-year loan at below-market rates. Hungary is in talks with the European Union after the bloc raised objections that Russian companies had exclusive rights to supply fuel to the plant and started a probe of possible state aid in the financing of the project.
One megawatt is enough to provide energy to 2,000 average European homes.
Africa’s sole nuclear power station is Koeberg in South Africa, which is owned by state-owned Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-14/nigeria-signs-rosatom-deal-for-up-to-80-billion-nuclear-power


My question is.. do we have d capacity to maintain a nuclear power plant? Are we ripe for such investment?

Nuclear wetin....

I don't even understand why they'll want to spend $80billion for just 1,200MW when one GE frame 9E gas turbine cost $30M and can produce 125MW...
Another means to siphon money?

The answer is yes.
Nigeria is moving technologically fast and needs to meet up with its energy demand. IF that is the only way out let it be.

donnaira:
The answer is yes.
Nigeria is moving technologically fast and needs to meet up with its energy demand. IF that is the only way out let it be.

Yes Don.. I agree we are moving technologically fast but u know the political mess we have found ourselves in this country... Nuclear technology isn't something you play with... Look at what happened in Japan even more technologically equipped and safety conscious than us..
I know some gas power plants currently under construction here in this country, the workers are bin owed.. lot of safety issues are overlooked and with this u think we are ripe for a nuclear technology?

There is no time we are ever gonna be ripe for such investment knowing the country we belong to. While Nigeria lacks that maintenance culture, it is time the govt takes it serious to invest in sections of Engineering such as Maintenance Engineering starting now so that we become used to it before the nuclear power plant is constructed in 2035. Try with the 'little' we have such as roads, existing thermal power and hydro power stations, existing facilities till the Nigerian populace is satisfied with the way we handle things. We can't keep depending on foreigners to help us maintain our facilities.

xdos:
My question is.. do we have d capacity to maintain a nuclear power plant? Are we ripe for such investment?

Then again, the govt has to embark on an awareness campaign highlighting the pros and cons of such plant. I mean, we wouldn't want hoodlums sneaking in to 'steal' a component or community people trying to shut down the plant with violence simply because it is located around their community, teaching them that this is different from the normal gas plants they normally sabotage the pipes supplying the plants and honestly, I think we need to run the media campaign for more than four years till the message sinks in.

BTW, ain't that amount too much for a nuclear power plant with that kinda power output?

CC: netotse - your contribution will be highly appreciated. . .

Feraz:
There is no time we are ever gonna be ripe for such investment knowing the country we belong to. While Nigeria lacks that maintenance culture, it is time the govt takes it serious to invest in sections of Engineering such as Maintenance Engineering starting now so that we become used to it before the nuclear power plant is constructed in 2035. Try with the 'little' we have such as roads, existing thermal power and hydro power stations, existing facilities till the Nigerian populace is satisfied with the way we handle things. We can't keep depending on foreigners to help us maintain our facilities.
Then again, the govt has to embark on an awareness campaign highlighting the pros and cons of such plant. I mean, we wouldn't want hoodlums sneaking in to 'steal' a component or community people trying to shut down the plant with violence simply because it is located around their community, teaching them that this is different from the normal gas plants they normally sabotage the pipes supplying the plants and honestly, I think we need to run the media campaign for more than four years till the message sinks in.
BTW, ain't that amount too much for a nuclear power plant with that kinda power output?
CC: netotse - your contribution will be highly appreciated. . .

I so much appreciate ur input. You spelt it all. Viewing it from the safety angle, there is a pretty thin line between a nuclear power plant and a nuclear weapon. looking at the stage the nation is currently, with vandalism, strikes, lack of motivation for the workforce, salary owed workers by govt, community issues like u mentioned and etc... Do you think media campaign would be sufficient?
I visited a cement plant here in Nigeria just last year, I saw the way cement dust was bin flared with reckless abandon... you dare not park your car close to the plant over nyt else it would be covered in dust... and the bad thing is dat the plant is sited in a community where people live. Even the people who work there go about their duties with no nose masks... One of the staff even confided in me dat some of his colleagues died from cement caked in their bloodstream...
I have been to gas plants where people smoke cigarettes close to major gas pipelines... I see a lot of people ascend scaffolds without body harnesses...
Talk also abt the substandard materials too.. I know a Gas process plant that was built using substandard materials..
with all these mentioned above, I get scared to the marrow when I hear such news... The govt have a lot to do.. They need to show us we can trust them b4 they can bring such things here.... A lot of mind sanitization needs to take place.... Govt regulatory bodies need to get serious with their work and not seat and loot money....
For the money part.. $80 billion is too much for such a power output.

xdos:
I so much appreciate ur input. You spelt it all. Viewing it from the safety angle, there is a pretty thin line between a nuclear power plant and a nuclear weapon. looking at the stage the nation is currently, with vandalism, strikes, lack of motivation for the workforce, salary owed workers by govt, community issues like u mentioned and etc... Do you think media campaign would be sufficient?

Yeah, there is a thin line between a nuclear power plant and a nuclear weapon. The media campaign is not even about the workers' salaries and other issues (that does not mean they cannot butt in to enlighten Nigerians on what is going on behind the scenes just like we have had with the oil producing communities), it is about the safety of the Nigerian populace drawing their attention to how devastating a nuclear power plant can be. I believe with the suggestion I made above about Maintenance Engineering, I believe by then, Nigerians workers' welfare would have increased positively; for the community issue, they could get an intellectual to stand in and fight for them should they firm want to renegade on its promises of ensuring international best practices instead of resorting to violence.

I also think it is time host communities stop asking for money and handouts and start demanding for infrastructures to be put in place, also demand that they be trained and educated instead of getting the money, divide it among themselves with the leader of the community having a certain cut and the youths taking the rest and wasting it.

I visited a cement plant here in Nigeria just last year, I saw the way cement dust was bin flared with reckless abandon... you dare not park your car close to the plant over nyt else it would be covered in dust... and the bad thing is dat the plant is sited in a community where people live. Even the people who work there go about their duties with no nose masks... One of the staff even confided in me dat some of his colleagues died from cement caked in their bloodstream...

You can imagine. It still boils down to lack of govt. seriousness in tackling issues like these. In USA, if I not mistaken, there is a body that calculates the amount of emission a plant produces and if it is above the acceptable standard, they are fined and if they do not adhere, they are closed. This is done because it not only affects the firm, it also affects the host community's health and we know health is wealth. What we need is people of impeccable character to stand in these positions while the govt. ensures that they do not compromise practices here as many firms are known to cut corners when it comes to the health issues of its workers.

Companies should ensure that their workforces are fully equipped with PPE. It is sad that we do not practice safety in this country. Even when sweeping my house most times, I try to cover my nose with a handkerchief knowing that it can lead to difficulty in breathing for me should I have a tiny speck of dust enter my nose. I cannot imagine working in a cement plant without nose mask, that is insane honestly speaking. We cannot keep blaming the govt. for what many of us can do ourselves.

I have been to gas plants where people smoke cigarettes close to major gas pipelines... I see a lot of people ascend scaffolds without body harnesses..

.This our nonchalant attitude towards safety is another thing to be looked at. How can someone smoke where a pipeline is located? Yet, we blame the govt. for our lack of safety when there are glaring signs there reading "DO NOT SMOKE". It is not left out to them only, see conductors having their bodies outside a speeding bus, people pressing their phones while in a filling station (even the attendants are not left out as some receive calls there or use it to calculate). We need massive reorientation on safety practices. If this can happen where there is a major pipeline, what are we going to do then should the nuclear power plant become a reality? I really do not want to think of it.

Talk also abt the substandard materials too.. I know a Gas process plant that was built using substandard materials..
with all these mentioned above, I get scared to the marrow when I hear such news... The govt have a lot to do.. They need to show us we can trust them b4 they can bring such things here.... A lot of mind sanitization needs to take place.... Govt regulatory bodies need to get serious with their work and not seat and loot money....

At times, you wonder what the function of SON is. Just like I wrote in an article last year on how useless COREN and NSE are, I can say SON is in the same league with them. I will not only blame SON, I will also blame customs for letting these substandard products pass through our borders. It all boils down to not having competent people at the helm of affairs and how greedy we are as a people that would not mind seeing human lives wasted as long as we are making the money.

For the money part.. $80 billion is too much for such a power output.

It definitely is too much. Except they are thinking of building it offshore which will require sand filling and other stuff, I really think it is too much (then again, we may be wrong considering the amount is takes to get uranium, enrich it, transport it, the materials involved in building it, the building of a cooling tower etc). Whoever has an idea of the cost of one should help us with it.

donnaira:
The answer is yes.
Nigeria is moving technologically fast and needs to meet up with its energy demand. IF that is the only way out let it be.

Definitely. I somewhat read on how they are trying to harness fusion power instead of the regular fission power. This project involves nine countries and the total sum is about $16billion; not that they are bringing cash, but they are bringing it in kind.

Feraz:

Companies should ensure that their workforces are fully equipped with PPE. It is sad that we do not practice safety in this country. Even when sweeping my house most times, I try to cover my nose with a handkerchief knowing that it can lead to difficulty in breathing for me should I have a tiny speck of dust enter my nose. I cannot imagine working in a cement plant without nose mask, that is insane honestly speaking. We cannot keep blaming the govt. for what many of us can do ourselves.

.This our nonchalant attitude towards safety is another thing to be looked at. How can someone smoke where a pipeline is located? Yet, we blame the govt. for our lack of safety when there are glaring signs there reading "DO NOT SMOKE". It is not left out to them only, see conductors having their bodies outside a speeding bus, people pressing their phones while in a filling station (even the attendants are not left out as some receive calls there or use it to calculate). We need massive reorientation on safety practices. If this can happen where there is a major pipeline, what are we going to do then should the nuclear power plant become a reality? I really do not want to think of it.
.

Let me take me for an example... I started my career with a company here in Nigeria though owned partly and operated by Shell. The company takes safety very seriously. You cant go into the process plant with your mobile phone or battery powered equipment or without complete PPE. Driving within the company facilities both the Industrial area, liason road and the residential area, you must have your seatbelt on for both the driver and the passengers and you must obey the speed limit..You must obey and work within the confines of ur permit to work and you must adhere to the drug and alcohol policy... When I started with them, it was very difficult keeping to all the rules especially the seatbelt and mobile fone... But with time, it became part and parcel of me..
Whether driving my car or in a public trans, I always wear my seatbelt.. I dont need d FRSC guys to remind me of doin that... Working there for years changed my mindset.. made me more conscious of my environ... Yes this was made possible because the company enforced it and the company enforced it because if anything should go wrong as a result of safety neglect, everyone suffers it from the boss to the person involved. Reports go as high as shell global and it even affects the KPI of the Managing Director....
Now all these are possible because there is a global body that checkmates them. A lot of people who work there and those who have worked there have a high level of safety consciousness because it was enforced by a company who takes safety very serious.

The point am trying to hit is this, if companies dont enforce safety attitude and also provide PPEs for the jobs, the workers will work unsafe.. As a matter of fact, a lot of companies here in Nigeria do not even allow safety auditors into their sites... A lot in order to cut cost, get the indians and filipinos who are slave drivers to manage their sites... In such companies, you cant go their and insist on using PPEs to work.. They will kick you out and say you are not ready to work.

Nigerian are law abiding people only when laws are enforced. If we dont have regulatory bodies who will enforce laws and discipline offenders, no one will listen...

Feraz:
There is no time we are ever gonna be ripe for such investment knowing the country we belong to. While Nigeria lacks that maintenance culture, it is time the govt takes it serious to invest in sections of Engineering such as Maintenance Engineering starting now so that we become used to it before the nuclear power plant is constructed in 2035. Try with the 'little' we have such as roads, existing thermal power and hydro power stations, existing facilities till the Nigerian populace is satisfied with the way we handle things. We can't keep depending on foreigners to help us maintain our facilities.
Then again, the govt has to embark on an awareness campaign highlighting the pros and cons of such plant. I mean, we wouldn't want hoodlums sneaking in to 'steal' a component or community people trying to shut down the plant with violence simply because it is located around their community, teaching them that this is different from the normal gas plants they normally sabotage the pipes supplying the plants and honestly, I think we need to run the media campaign for more than four years till the message sinks in.

BTW, ain't that amount too much for a nuclear power plant with that kinda power output?

CC: netotse - your contribution will be highly appreciated. . .

Hey...just saw the story, nuclear will be more expensive per unit mwh than other sources given the other costs associated with nuclear power plants, we will also have to pay a premium for the expertise necessary to run one, at this stage we're not ready yet, there are cheaper sources to explore but 15 - 20 years down the line it might not be such a bad idea.

xdos:

Let me take me for an example... I started my career with a company here in Nigeria though owned partly and operated by Shell. The company takes safety very seriously. You cant go into the process plant with your mobile phone or battery powered equipment or without complete PPE. Driving within the company facilities both the Industrial area, liason road and the residential area, you must have your seatbelt on for both the driver and the passengers and you must obey the speed limit..You must obey and work within the confines of ur permit to work and you must adhere to the drug and alcohol policy... When I started with them, it was very difficult keeping to all the rules especially the seatbelt and mobile fone... But with time, it became part and parcel of me..
Whether driving my car or in a public trans, I always wear my seatbelt.. I dont need d FRSC guys to remind me of doin that... Working there for years changed my mindset.. made me more conscious of my environ... Yes this was made possible because the company enforced it and the company enforced it because if anything should go wrong as a result of safety neglect, everyone suffers it from the boss to the person involved. Reports go as high as shell global and it even affects the KPI of the Managing Director....
Now all these are possible because there is a global body that checkmates them. A lot of people who work there and those who have worked there have a high level of safety consciousness because it was enforced by a company who takes safety very serious.

The point am trying to hit is this, if companies dont enforce safety attitude and also provide PPEs for the jobs, the workers will work unsafe.. As a matter of fact, a lot of companies here in Nigeria do not even allow safety auditors into their sites... A lot in order to cut cost, get the indians and filipinos who are slave drivers to manage their sites... In such companies, you cant go their and insist on using PPEs to work.. They will kick you out and say you are not ready to work.

Nigerian are law abiding people only when laws are enforced. If we dont have regulatory bodies who will enforce laws and discipline offenders, no one will listen...

If you are in a well known multinational, they have to comply with global rules. Now, if you notice, govt. cannot be everywhere enforcing the safety law which is why there are signs there to guide us. It is just like saying people should go scoop fuel from a damaged tanker when we know how risky that is. Of course, the govt. has a role to play such as prolly using drones to track all those pipeline vandals but at the same time, the citizens can help by complying even when the govt. is not watching.

netotse:

Hey...just saw the story, nuclear will be more expensive per unit mwh than other sources given the other costs associated with nuclear power plants, we will also have to pay a premium for the expertise necessary to run one, at this stage we're not ready yet, there are cheaper sources to explore but 15 - 20 years down the line it might not be such a bad idea.

Yeah. . .the article said by 2035 which I believe is not such a bad time. I actually thought Nuclear was cheaper?

Feraz:

Yeah. . .the article said by 2035 which I believe is not such a bad time. I actually thought Nuclear was cheaper?

expertise and procurement would kill whatever gains you think you would be making. The "cheapness" of nuclear fuel is in operating costs but here in Nigeria such most likely won't be the case.

netotse:


expertise and procurement would kill whatever gains you think you would be making. The "cheapness" of nuclear fuel is in operating costs but here in Nigeria such most likely won't be the case.

That is why I think the govt should invest more in gas turbines both simple and combined cycles.. Nigeria is a country blessed with natural gas in excess... Instead of companies flaring the gas with reckless abandon, it should be channeled to power generating plants... With $80 billion invested in gas turbine technology, it will go a long way in solving our power issues... It is safer too...

Feraz:
If you are in a well known multinational, they have to comply with global rules. Now, if you notice, govt. cannot be everywhere enforcing the safety law which is why there are signs there to guide us. It is just like saying people should go scoop fuel from a damaged tanker when we know how risky that is. Of course, the govt. has a role to play such as prolly using drones to track all those pipeline vandals but at the same time, the citizens can help by complying even when the govt. is not watching.

Yeah. . .the article said by 2035 which I believe is not such a bad time. I actually thought Nuclear was cheaper?

Bro, unless I didn't read that article well... If dat amount is just for 1200MW output then it is pretty expensive... we have natural gas in excess...

xdos:


That is why I think the govt should invest more in gas turbines both simple and combined cycles.. Nigeria is a country blessed with natural gas in excess... Instead of companies flaring the gas with reckless abandon, it should be channeled to power generating plants... With $80 billion invested in gas turbine technology, it will go a long way in solving our power issues... It is safer too...
Bro, unless I didn't read that article well... If dat amount is just for 1200MW output then it is pretty expensive... we have natural gas in excess...

The bolded beats me as at why we have not been at the forefront of research on gas technology.

Feraz:
The bolded beats me as at why we have not been at the forefront of research on gas technology.

I'm curious, why would/should we be in the forefront of research on gas technology?

netotse:

I'm curious, why would/should we be in the forefront of research on gas technology?

Sent you a mail oga.

netotse:

I'm curious, why would/should we be in the forefront of research on gas technology?

Cos we have it in abundance?

Feraz:
Cos we have it in abundance?

lol...what do we aim to achieve/gain from being in said forefront?


let me try and give you some perspective

what is the unit price for gas-to-power in Nigeria?
what is the commercial price for gas in Nigeria?
What is the international price for gas? check the trend of gas prices for the last 12 months.
what is the penalty for flaring gas in Nigeria?

P.S. I'm trying to change the way you see energy. if you weren't an engineer I woulda told you the answers straight up.

P.P.S. Nuclear is too expensive granted, but you also need a power mix so the fact that you have nat. gas shouldn't make you close your eyes to other sources.

kaboninc:


Sent you a mail oga.

no vex...trying to de-stress, will def reply.

netotse:
lol...what do we aim to achieve/gain from being in said forefront?

Gas powered machines probably?


let me try and give you some perspective

what is the unit price for gas-to-power in Nigeria?

No idea

what is the commercial price for gas in Nigeria?

N300 for 1kg

What is the international price for gas? check the trend of gas prices for the last 12 months.

$2.68 (Bloomberg). It is decreasing.

what is the penalty for flaring gas in Nigeria?

Monetary fine

P.S. I'm trying to change the way you see energy. if you weren't an engineer I woulda told you the answers straight up.

P.P.S. Nuclear is too expensive granted, but you also need a power mix so the fact that you have nat. gas shouldn't make you close your eyes to other sources.

I'm not against using other sources for power. *Grabs a book to jot down*

Feraz:
Gas powered machines probably?


let me try and give you some perspective

No idea
N500 - N600 for 1kg
$2.68 (Bloomberg). It is decreasing.
Monetary fine

I'm not against using other sources for power. *Grabs a book to jot down*

lol...where do I start from:

The problem with gas in Nigeria is more of a fiscal/financial/regulatory problem not a technological problem. It simply doesn't make sense to invest in gas at the current tariff rates, unit price for gas to power in Nigeria is $2.5 per Mscf since last year, it was $1.5 before that. Commercial prices for gas to other sectors are in the region of $4 - 8 per Mscf, depending on if you're buying from NGC or a franchise holder. International prices were somewhere around $4.65 last year. (Gas is priced in USD per Mscf when you say KG you're prolly referring to LPG.)

It simply doesn't make sense for companies to spend money producing gas and then get paid such a low amount, they would rather sell the gas to other sectors or liquefy the gas and export it(prices for LNG are way higher than normal nat gas), now govt won't let them do either of the two so the oil companies would put the money to other uses. These are businesses not charities, they are in it to make a profit.

As per gas flaring, you're right, it's a monetary fine, it's cheaper for gas companies to flare gas and pay the penalty than to invest in infrastructure to process and transport the gas. It's not all bad news though, a govt policy called domestic supply obligation has helped force oil companies to produce gas for power plants, we're flaring a lot less gas than we used to. The PIB is seeking to set the penalty for flaring gas to be the cost of gas in the market, that's part of the reasons the oil companies are against the bill.

What you see happening in the international market(falling prices) can't translate here because our markets are not mature enough, gas supply contracts in Nigeria are usually long term bilateral agreements with price escalation due to economic indices rather than purchasing Nat. gas futures which is the prices you see online. The gap between demand and supply has to be closed and then commodity trading markets have to be setup.

Guy, there's a lot to be said about natural gas in Nigeria, I've just tried to highlight some of what I think the main issues are, you should do a bit more digging around.

netotse:


lol...where do I start from:

The problem with gas in Nigeria is more of a fiscal/financial/regulatory problem not a technological problem. It simply doesn't make sense to invest in gas at the current tariff rates, unit price for gas to power in Nigeria is $2.5 per Mscf since last year, it was $1.5 before that. Commercial prices for gas to other sectors are in the region of $4 - 8 per Mscf, depending on if you're buying from NGC or a franchise holder. International prices were somewhere around $4.65 last year. (Gas is priced in USD per Mscf when you say KG you're prolly referring to LPG.)

It simply doesn't make sense for companies to spend money producing gas and then get paid such a low amount, they would rather sell the gas to other sectors or liquefy the gas and export it(prices for LNG are way higher than normal nat gas), now govt won't let them do either of the two so the oil companies would put the money to other uses. These are businesses not charities, they are in it to make a profit.

As per gas flaring, you're right, it's a monetary fine, it's cheaper for gas companies to flare gas and pay the penalty than to invest in infrastructure to process and transport the gas. It's not all bad news though, a govt policy called domestic supply obligation has helped force oil companies to produce gas for power plants, we're flaring a lot less gas than we used to. The PIB is seeking to set the penalty for flaring gas to be the cost of gas in the market, that's part of the reasons the oil companies are against the bill.

What you see happening in the international market(falling prices) can't translate here because our markets are not mature enough, gas supply contracts in Nigeria are usually long term bilateral agreements with price escalation due to economic indices rather than purchasing Nat. gas futures which is the prices you see online. The gap between demand and supply has to be closed and then commodity trading markets have to be setup.

Guy, there's a lot to be said about natural gas in Nigeria, I've just tried to highlight some of what I think the main issues are, you should do a bit more digging around.

Ok boss! That I will. Thanks for the lecture.

To me we are not yet ready for the nuclear power plant .... It's the best option of power production now but we can not with the I'll sighted leaders I see ... We can not have 100% steady power because this.... We have a lot of work to do before we can go into this.

Feraz:
There is no time we are ever gonna be ripe for such investment knowing the country we belong to. While Nigeria lacks that maintenance culture, it is time the govt takes it serious to invest in sections of Engineering such as Maintenance Engineering starting now so that we become used to it before the nuclear power plant is constructed in 2035. Try with the 'little' we have such as roads, existing thermal power and hydro power stations, existing facilities till the Nigerian populace is satisfied with the way we handle things. We can't keep depending on foreigners to help us maintain our facilities.
Then again, the govt has to embark on an awareness campaign highlighting the pros and cons of such plant. I mean, we wouldn't want hoodlums sneaking in to 'steal' a component or community people trying to shut down the plant with violence simply because it is located around their community, teaching them that this is different from the normal gas plants they normally sabotage the pipes supplying the plants and honestly, I think we need to run the media campaign for more than four years till the message sinks in.

BTW, ain't that amount too much for a nuclear power plant with that kinda power output?

CC: netotse - your contribution will be highly appreciated. . .

Thanks brother... For bring me here .... I wish to inform you that Nigeria has the fund to have this facilities but we are not intellectually ready run such facility.... Many may call me out but I want to tell you that we have a very evil politicians( no one is excluded ) and we have a few brothers in the north who practice radical Islam which is no good for such facility.hence if this facility got attacked in respect to our normal vandalization, we shall be exposed and you know the effect.

The line between a nuclear weaponry and the nuclear energy is quite slim, considering this its quite a risk.....

Our government from time immemorial have a very good record of zero maintenance and appointments due to family tie not expertise

I agree with you that that awareness has to be done at least for 10years before think about if to have it or not ....
.

Considering the cost and amount of power to be produced ... I totally disagree with the figures..... It's simply shows we are not ready to have 100% steady power supply.

Feraz:
Yeah, there is a thin line between a nuclear power plant and a nuclear weapon. The media campaign is not even about the workers' salaries and other issues (that does not mean they cannot butt in to enlighten Nigerians on what is going on behind the scenes just like we have had with the oil producing communities), it is about the safety of the Nigerian populace drawing their attention to how devastating a nuclear power plant can be. I believe with the suggestion I made above about Maintenance Engineering, I believe by then, Nigerians workers' welfare would have increased positively; for the community issue, they could get an intellectual to stand in and fight for them should they firm want to renegade on its promises of ensuring international best practices instead of resorting to violence.

I also think it is time host communities stop asking for money and handouts and start demanding for infrastructures to be put in place, also demand that they be trained and educated instead of getting the money, divide it among themselves with the leader of the community having a certain cut and the youths taking the rest and wasting it.

You can imagine. It still boils down to lack of govt. seriousness in tackling issues like these. In USA, if I not mistaken, there is a body that calculates the amount of emission a plant produces and if it is above the acceptable standard, they are fined and if they do not adhere, they are closed. This is done because it not only affects the firm, it also affects the host community's health and we know health is wealth. What we need is people of impeccable character to stand in these positions while the govt. ensures that they do not compromise practices here as many firms are known to cut corners when it comes to the health issues of its workers.

Companies should ensure that their workforces are fully equipped with PPE. It is sad that we do not practice safety in this country. Even when sweeping my house most times, I try to cover my nose with a handkerchief knowing that it can lead to difficulty in breathing for me should I have a tiny speck of dust enter my nose. I cannot imagine working in a cement plant without nose mask, that is insane honestly speaking. We cannot keep blaming the govt. for what many of us can do ourselves.

.This our nonchalant attitude towards safety is another thing to be looked at. How can someone smoke where a pipeline is located? Yet, we blame the govt. for our lack of safety when there are glaring signs there reading "DO NOT SMOKE". It is not left out to them only, see conductors having their bodies outside a speeding bus, people pressing their phones while in a filling station (even the attendants are not left out as some receive calls there or use it to calculate). We need massive reorientation on safety practices. If this can happen where there is a major pipeline, what are we going to do then should the nuclear power plant become a reality? I really do not want to think of it.

At times, you wonder what the function of SON is. Just like I wrote in an article last year on how useless COREN and NSE are, I can say SON is in the same league with them. I will not only blame SON, I will also blame customs for letting these substandard products pass through our borders. It all boils down to not having competent people at the helm of affairs and how greedy we are as a people that would not mind seeing human lives wasted as long as we are making the money.

It definitely is too much. Except they are thinking of building it offshore which will require sand filling and other stuff, I really think it is too much (then again, we may be wrong considering the amount is takes to get uranium, enrich it, transport it, the materials involved in building it, the building of a cooling tower etc). Whoever has an idea of the cost of one should help us with it.

The cost aspects is quite high though depending on the location, the capacity, the centrifuge, the operations although it can be because of the company contracted but we could have used Israeli company

netotse:


lol...where do I start from:

The problem with gas in Nigeria is more of a fiscal/financial/regulatory problem not a technological problem. It simply doesn't make sense to invest in gas at the current tariff rates, unit price for gas to power in Nigeria is $2.5 per Mscf since last year, it was $1.5 before that. Commercial prices for gas to other sectors are in the region of $4 - 8 per Mscf, depending on if you're buying from NGC or a franchise holder. International prices were somewhere around $4.65 last year. (Gas is priced in USD per Mscf when you say KG you're prolly referring to LPG.)

.
Do u mean investing in gas to power? If you think investing in gas at the current tarrif rate doesn't make sense, why did the US govt invest so much in it even before they discovered shale gas? Now letz come home... Algeria also is rich in Natural gas like Nigeria just invested heavily in Gas to power... Angola also is investing heavily in that too...
I really don't know much about gas prices world international but I sure do know that profit also is been made but maybe not as high as LNG exports... I think the companies are just exploiting the weakness and corruption in our govt hence the reason for the PIB delay.
Even with the current price, do u think it is cheaper to invest in Nuclear technology than gas?

princejayboss:


The cost aspects is quite high though depending on the location, the capacity, the centrifuge, the operations although it can be because of the company contracted but we could have used Israeli company

why Israel?

xdos:
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Do u mean investing in gas to power? If you think investing in gas at the current tarrif rate doesn't make sense, why did the US govt invest so much in it even before they discovered shale gas? Now letz come home... Algeria also is rich in Natural gas like Nigeria just invested heavily in Gas to power... Angola also is investing heavily in that too...
I really don't know much about gas prices world international but I sure do know that profit also is been made but maybe not as high as LNG exports... I think the companies are just exploiting the weakness and corruption in our govt hence the reason for the PIB delay.
Even with the current price, do u think it is cheaper to invest in Nuclear technology than gas?

What were gas prices before the US discovered shale gas? If anything shouldn't discovering a new source of supply make the product cheaper?

Nuclear has high capital costs, I'm not sure how they would fit this in with our tariff regime.

netotse:

What were gas prices before the US discovered shale gas? If anything shouldn't discovering a new source of supply make the product cheaper?

Nuclear has high capital costs, I'm not sure how they would fit this in with our tariff regime.

ummmh... Am not really in tune with the gas market but I dont think shale gas discovery has reduced the price of gas in the market. The point am trying to make is that gas rich countries like Algeria, Angola, Saudi Arabia and others are investing massively in gas to power technology so If they are not benefiting from it, I dont think they will invest dat much. Even US invested so much in it even before the discovery of their shale gas. Am sure the gas generating companies make profit from it but maybe not much as LNG.
I agree with you concerning the high capital cost of nuclear technology and that was the reason I said we need to invest more in gas to power.. It is a lot cheaper than nuclear technology. Am not opposed to exploring other sources of power generation. If there are cheaper and safer means of generating power, beautiful.
With the way the country is currently, we are not ready for Nuclear power but maybe until 2035..

princejayboss:


The cost aspects is quite high though depending on the location, the capacity, the centrifuge, the operations although it can be because of the company contracted but we could have used Israeli company

Why the Israelis?

Power is measured in watts or kilowatts (1,000 watts) or megawatts (one million watts. An electric generator is rated in watts. A large nuclear power plant has a power of 1,000 megawatts (or one gigawatt). If a one kilowatt generator runs for an hour, it produces a kilowatt-hour of electric energy.

The amount of energy handled by humanity is still small compared to the amount of energy in the sunlight that strikes the earth. It's about one part in 50,000.


Energy is conserved. It can be transformed among various forms, (e.g. mechanical, electrical, chemical, heat) but the total remains the same. In each transformation, some of the energy becomes unusable, usually in the form of heat.


All matter is composed of elements. The important elements for our discussion of nuclear energy are uranium, plutonium, carbon and hydrogen. Uranium and plutonium are involved in nuclear energy production, and carbon and hydrogen are the main elements in conventional fuels like coal, oil and natural gas.


An atom of an element consists of a nucleus surrounded by electrons. What element it is is determined by the number of protons in the nucleus, but the elements come in various isotopes, and the isotope is defined by the number of neutrons in the nucleus.

Matter takes part in two kinds of reactions involving atoms of different kinds - chemical reactions and nuclear reactions. Chemical reactions are common and re-arrange how the atoms are combined into molecules but never change what element an atom is - or even what isotope it is. The reactions involved in the production and use of non-nuclear fuels are all chemical reactions.
Nuclear reactions can change what element an atom is, occur on earth only under special conditions and involve something like ten million times the energy. Thus enormously more energy can be obtained from suitable nuclear reactions than from chemical reactions.



Uranium has 92 protons. Two isotopes are important. U-235 has an atomic mass of 235 and U-238 has an atomic mass of 238. Natural uranium as it comes from mines contains 140 times as much U-238 as U-235. Because the 235 is the total of protons and neutrons U-235 has 235 - 92 = 143 neutrons.


Plutonium has 94 protons. Its important isotopes are Pu-239, which is used in power plants and bombs, and Pu-240 which is ok in power plants but which is a nuisance for those making bombs out of plutonium. There is also Pu-238 which is not fissionable but emits alpha particles and thereby generates heat. The amount of heat produced is convenient for powering spacecraft systems. There is very little natural plutonium.


When an atom of U-238 absorbs a neutron in a nuclear reactor, it becomes U-239, which decays in a short time to Pu-239. If a Pu-239 atom stays in the reactor long enough, it absorbs another neutron and becomes an atom of Pu-240 if it doesn't fission.


When an atom of U-235 or plutonium absorbs a neutron it almost always fissions. Namely, it splits into two atoms of lighter elements and emits neutrons - on the average a bit more than two. The emitted neutrons can cause further fissions in a chain reaction. In a bomb the chain reaction is very fast; in a power reactor it is slow. The two fragments are emitted at high velocity, and when they are absorbed in the fuel rod a lot of heat is produced. This heat is what powers the nuclear power plant.


Separating the isotopes of elements is very expensive. There are big plants for separating U-235 from the U-238 in natural uranium. For nuclear reactors, it is economical to use uranium that has been enriched to contain 4 to 5 percent U-235 instead of the 0.7 percent U-235 of natural uranium. Bombs need over 90 percent U-235.


Separating Pu from U is not very expensive, and bombs are mostly made of Pu made from U in special reactors in which the Pu-239 is promptly removed. In ordinary power reactors, the Pu-239 gets contaminated with Pu-240. Separating Pu-240 from Pu-239 is very expensive.



Here are some facts about nuclear power plants.

Present nuclear power plants consume uranium (specifically U-235) as fuel. When the power plant is loaded with fuel, it can run for 18 months or 2 years before it has to be refuelled, a process that takes a month or two. As the power plant operators have become more experienced, they have learned to operate longer between refuellings and take a shorter time for refuelling.


When an atom of U-235 absorbs a neutron it fissions, i.e. it breaks up in parts. These parts consist mainly of two atoms of smaller elements and some neutrons.


When a reactor is operating, fission of an atom of U-235 generates on the average a bit more than two neutrons.


If each of two neutrons produced by a fission was absorbed by an atom of U-235 the number of fissions would double in a fraction of second and then double again and again. If this were allowed to continue, in a few seconds the reactor would be generating enough power to melt.


When the reactor is turned on, the multiplication of fissions is allowed to continue until the reactor is generating power at the desired rate. Then control rods that absorb neutrons are inserted until exactly one neutron from each fission causes another fission.


Because some of the neutrons caused by a fission are emitted from the fission products only after a delay of a minute or so, it is not difficult to control the power level of the reactor. Nevertheless, there are safety systems that will shut down the reactor if the power level gets too high or if the cooling water stops flowing.


The power to produce electricity comes from the fact that the two atoms produced by the fission of a U-235 atom fly off at high speed, but they don't get even an inch before they hit something and are stopped. Stopping converts their energy of motion into heat, and the reactor heats up. If the heat weren't taken away, the reactor would melt.


The heat from fission is taken up by water or steam pumped through the reactor. The hot steam goes through turbines connected to electric generators.


About 2/3 of the heat energy is lost, and is emitted to the atmosphere or to a body of water, a river or the ocean. This loss is a consequence of the Second Law of Thermodynamics and applies to all power plants, nuclear or coal-burning.


If the highest temperature in the steam plant is T1 and the temperature at which heat is exhausted to the environment is T2, the fraction of the heat generated that can be turned into electricity is (T1 - T2)/T1. The fraction of the heat energy transformed into electric energy is called the efficiency of the power plant. For high efficiency T1 should be as high as possible and T2 as low as possible. How high T1 can be is determined by how high a temperature the materials of the reactor can be without softening. How low T2 can be is limited by the environment. Cold seawater gives a good T2.


After 18 months or two years, most of the U-235 in the fuel is used up, and the fuel rods consist mainly of the products of fission, which remain radioactive and continue to generate heat. The fuel rods are placed in large pools of water which takes the remaining heat. The fuel rods become less and less radioactive with time.


After the rods have cooled off for a while, they should be chemically reprocessed to extract left over uranium and some plutonium that has been produced. The left-over uranium and the plutonium can then be converted to more reactor fuel. The fission products can then be buried in stable rock formations.