Ahead of its plan to accommodate nuclear power in the Nigeria’s national grid, the Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) and the Russian Federation have commenced deliberations with the Federal Ministry of Power. The duo also begun discussions with the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning on how to accommodate the feasibility study of the plan in the 2022 national budget of the commission.
NAEC Acting chairman, Prof. Ahmed Yusuf, broke the news in Abuja during a press conference on Russian- Nigerian Cooperation in the area of peaceful use of nuclear power. It was for an implementation road map for a peaceful deployment of nuclear energy in Nigeria as President Muhammadu Buhari requested during his visit to Russia in 2019. The delegation from the Russian Federation (JSC RUSATOM), is led by the Vice President, Ryan Collier.
Yusuf said alongside the delegation, the commission deliberated with the Ministry of Power on how to integrate nuclear into the energy master plan and energy budgeting. According to him, the visit was to discuss the inclusion of nuclear and other renewable energies in the nation’s energy mix or energy basket.
His words: “We have discussed with the Federal Ministry of Power what we intend to do and how we intend to do it so that they can factor it into their (Power Ministry) energy master plan and energy budgeting. Nigeria’s energy mix or what we call energy basket will now compromise of renewable, bio and including nuclear.”
