68. Planning and Design of a 40 MW Small Scale Hydro on River Kam in Taraba State, Nigeria

This paper focuses on the planning and design of a 40 MW small scale hydroelectric power plant on river Kam in Taraba State, Nigeria. The main objective of the planning and design is to encourage the Nigerian Government to make available loans and/or grants to construct this prototype/pilot small scale hydro with a dam of minimum civil works. It shall be multipurpose in nature inclusive catering for the irrigation, water supply and fishery needs of the community into which such scheme is to be sited. The site is on isolated electricity load centre which is far away from the existing grid system of the Authority, i.e., the 330 kV and 132 kV power transmission networks/lines. This scheme if successfully implemented will provide this isolated load centre the needed electricity power supply a situation which could have been impossible in the next 20 years or more. The planning started with data collection in the affected river catchment such as meteorological, hydrological, geological and topographic data. These data were put together and studied to determine the availability of the two (2) most important parameters in a hydropower potential of a river, i.e., available head and adequate stream flow. These data were later complemented with hydrological field activities. The embankment dam and appurtenant structures were designed for the scheme and the necessary flood routing, reservoir simulation/optimisation studies and selection of taylor made electro-mechanical components were carried out. Results show that 262 GWh/a is obtainable from the power plant. Consequent economic analysis showed that the project is viable financially estimated at $17.48 million and is capable of paying itself back in less than six (6) years. It has a lesser unit generation cost per kWh when compared to a thermal alternative.