Engineers within the construction industry have called upon the government to employ flooding from dams for power generation across the nation.
Dr. Waliu Adeolu, the National President of the Nigerian Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment, made this appeal during an exclusive interview with reporters.
He emphasized the importance of consistent dredging to manage flooding, suggesting that dams should not only release water during heavy rainfall but also use it for irrigation and power generation.
This approach, he explained, would help prevent excess water discharge during rainy seasons while enhancing agricultural activities and power generation.
Additionally, Fubara Omubo, an electric/electronics engineer, outlined innovative methods to transform excess floodwater into a source of power revenue for Nigeria.
These methods included harnessing tidal power in coastal areas with significant tidal fluctuations, using run-of-river hydropower projects that have minimal environmental impact, employing floating solar panels on reservoirs and floodplains, and developing flood control reservoirs to efficiently use surplus water for electricity production.
Anthony Pepple, a lecturer in the Department of Electrical/Electronics Engineering at the Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas, Bonny Island, Rivers State, highlighted the importance of channeling floodwater from dams in a specific direction, where a rotating object like a propeller could generate power from the flowing water.
This call for utilizing flooding from dams for power generation comes as Nigeria faces recurrent flooding, with many affected and displaced due to the release of water from dams.
In recent reports, the National Emergency Management Agency disclosed that flooding caused by the release of water from the Lagdo Dam by Cameroonian authorities led to 45 fatalities and displaced 171,545 people in 13 states across Nigeria.