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dam-l Nigeria hydropower cuts/LS
> Nigeria faces widespread power cuts after
> plant failure
> 12:42 p.m. Mar 11, 1999 Eastern
>
> ABUJA, March 11 (Reuters) - Nigeria was
>gripped by
> nationwide power cuts on Thursday after the
>failure of
> supplies from its most reliable
>hydroelectric generating
> plant, officials of the state power firm said.
>
> The officials said supplies from the Shiroro
>Dam plant in
> northwestern Niger State failed on
>Wednesday, leaving
> most of Africa's most populous nation to
>rely on a number
> of thermal power stations and other hydro
>plants which fall
> far short of demand.
>
> ``It is a national problem and we still
>cannot say when it will
> be solved,'' one official said. ``The real
>problem is that
> much of Nigeria was relying on Shiroro
>because the rest of
> the power stations are running below
>capacity due to years
> of neglect.''
>
> Power failures are not uncommon in Nigeria
>and many
> businesses are forced to rely on standby
>generators.
>
> But the length of the latest blackout has
>forced some offices
> to close in the capital Abuja and the
>commercial hub of
> Lagos. Other cities throughout the West
>African country of
> at least 108 million were cut off.
>
> Theoretical electricity generating capacity
>is at least 5,900
> megaWatts (MW), but actual output is less
>than half that at
> best. Theft of cables and poor maintenance
>have drastically
> cut distribution capability.
>
> Local businesses and international lenders
>have long
> demanded the privatisation of the NEPA
>electricity
> monopoly which leaves many Nigerians in
>darkness despite
> its vast resources of gas, oil, coal and the
>hydroelectric
> potential of the River Niger.
>
> The military government intends to appoint
>an adviser for
> the sale of NEPA before leaving office on
>May 29 alongside
> other moribund state enterprises.
>
> ((Lagos newsroom +234 1 2630317))
>
>
> Copyright 1999 Reuters Limited. All rights
>reserved.
> Republication and redistribution of Reuters
>content is
> expressly prohibited without the prior
>written consent of
> Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any
>errors or delays
> in the content, or for any actions taken in
>reliance thereon.
>
>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>Susanne Wong
>Campaigns Assistant
>International Rivers Network
>1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94703
>Tel: 1.510.848.1155 ext 316 email: swong@irn.org
>Fax: 1.510.848.1008 web: www.irn.org
>
>
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Lori Pottinger, Director, Southern Africa Program,
and Editor, World Rivers Review
International Rivers Network
1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California 94703, USA
Tel. (510) 848 1155 Fax (510) 848 1008
http://www.irn.org
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