FG, Chinese firm sign MoU to produce 1,000MW coal electricity

THE Federal Government and a Chinese firm, HTG-Pacific Energy Consortium, on Monday, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development of 1,000MW of coal electricity.

The signing of the agreement was the highpoint of a workshop on the solid mineral sector organised by the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

President Goodluck Jonathan, who presided over the workshop, said coal resources provided an opportunity to diversify the economy, telling the participants that there was no reason why the country could not exploit its abundant coal reserves for quality power generation.

According to him, “for instance, coal resources present an excellent opportunity for us to diversify our energy sources, to the extent that 30 per cent of our electricity generation should come from coal, using environmentally friendly clean technology.

“Nigeria is endowed with abundant coal reserves of the required quality necessary for power generation. And so there is no reason why we should not exploit that sector.”