The Kainji dam in Niger State has burst its banks following days of torrential rainfall. This stems from a situation whereby the dam’s embarkment or dock which locks the dam from overflowing suddenly collapsed on Sunday.
As seen in live footages, water from the dam is currently flooding into areas around the Kainji Lake. Specifically, the dam was designated and determined by experts to have generating capacity of about 960 megawatts.
Experts however disclosed that only about eight or seven of its envisaged 12 turbines have been effectively installed as at today. This reality is said to have lowered the generating capacity of the Kainji Dam to about 760 megawatts.
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Following the overflow of the dam’s bank, about 760 megawatts of electricity is expected to be taken off the national grid as emergency responders move to the site.
The New Diplomat’s efforts to reach officials of Mainstream Energy Solution Limited, a private sector firm believed to have been saddled with the role of managing the dam were unsuccessful.
This development has somewhat raised reputational and competencies issues for Mainstream Energy Solution Limited as it appears to be ill-equipped to deal with subject matters of Emergency Management Strategy (EMS) and Crisis Management Team (CMT), two critical technical and professional terrains that have become subjects of global interest especially with the outbreak of Covid-19.
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Said an expert: “It is a pity that most companies in Nigeria lack the expertise in Crisis Management and Emergency Management strategy. These are core technical areas that most developed nations of the World have currently designed as academic and professional subject areas of specialization. If your company doesn’t have a CMP or a CMT in place why should your firm be given such a critical contract to handle? Very pitiable. I would suggest that these two areas should be made compulsory for firms handling very critical projects in Nigeria.”
More to come…
