Small Hydro Power (SHP) Plants are used to generate electricity even from small water bodies. The Agency is developing capacity in the manufacture of SHP Equipments. It has been estimated that the total Small Hydro Power (SHP) Potential in the country could reach 3,500MW, representing 23% of the country's total hydropower potential. With this potential in SHP, there will be a growing demand for local capacities in the development of this technology in the nation.

In order to make small hydropower viable in Nigeria, there is a need to minimize/optimize the investment cost through the development of local capacity in construction techniques and equipment fabrication.

OBJECTIVES OF NASENI SHP PROJECT

• To develop local manufacturing capacity on Small Hydropower equipment
• To midwife the establishment of local manufacturing companies for electromechanical equipment / component parts for Small Hydro Power (SHP) Plants.
• To midwife the establishment of Small Hydropower Equipment Development Institute
• To survey the possibility of integrating Small Hydro Power plants in the large number of dams in Nigeria, currently used for water supply and irrigation only.

NASENI-SHP  ; The Journey So Far

In the late 2007, UNIDO called NASENI to a Stakeholders Meeting on the Local Manufacturing of Small Hydro Power Equipment in the African region. NASENI has been selected as the Host Agency and the Representative of the Nigerian Government on the Project. While UNIDO awaits Nigeria's Counterpart Funding, Crossflow Turbine has been selected for the first production involving Nigerian engineers and using local technology.

The first phase of the project is expected to produce and test prototype of Crossflow turbine within 12months from take off. The next phase is to mass produce the turbines which will be used to establish pilot SHP plants in selected African countries and eventually to service the SHP equipment demand for the African Sub-Region.

Ten (10) sites have been selected from the Six Geopolitical Zones and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for installation of SHP Plants for Electricity Generation.