25 March 2015, Sweetcrude, Lagos – US-based company, Millhouse Engineering and Construction of Chicago, would be providing training for the Nigerian workforce in the process of developing, exploring and mining of the Enugu coal reserves.
Chairman of the company, Wilbur Millhouse, disclosed this as he disclosed that the company would also support the local content policy of the Federal Government from beginning to the end of its project in the country.
The Federal Government recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with Millhouse Engineering and Construction for the development, exploration and mining of the Enugu coal reserve and utilisation for power generation in the country.
Minister of Power, Chinedu Nebo, who signed on behalf of government, stated that plans were in top gear to actualise coal-power, in view of the abundance of high grade coal deposits in Nigeria.
He urged the company to start with embedded power of about 4MW upwards, as it will enable it hit the market early.
The minister pointed out that the smaller the generation, the easier the issue of financing, and other requirements are tackled, adding that with time, its generation ability will gradually increase to higher quantity of megawatts with a wider coverage area.
Nebo noted that in spite of the fact that at least seven states are known to have coal reserves, currently coal is yet to be achieved as a routine source of energy.
The Minister observed that if properly harnessed, coal alone could generate about 5,000MW of power for the country.
He noted that, “coal-power has always been at the centre of the present administration’s agenda.”
Nebo expressed the Federal government’s commitment to partnering with interested would-be investors in the realisation of this goal.
According to Nebo, “Coal is about the biggest energy source for developed countries like United States, South Africa, China and Australia, but in spite of the call for renewables, clean coal technology would enable us extract power from abundant coal resources.”
He therefore called for more investments in coal energy.
