The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Kano Hydro and Energy Development Company Ltd, Ado Doguwa, stated in an interview with The Guardian that their transmission line could handle up to 40 MW. However, it is currently limited to 10 MW. He emphasised that with additional investments in solar power, they could evacuate up to 30-40 MW to the mini-grid.
Doguwa mentioned that the plant has a combined capacity of 10 MW, with one unit producing 8 MW and the other 2 MW. The design accommodates seasonal variations, with rainfall in the region from May to October. When the 8 MW unit cannot run, they use the 2 MW unit. Additionally, Kano Hydro and Energy Development Company owns two dams besides the TIGA dam. The Chalawa Gorge Hydropower Plant has two units that can generate 6 MW, bringing their combined hydro capacity to 16 MW. Doguwa also revealed a proposal to generate 50 MW from the river bank.
“Though we faced challenges during Ganduje’s administration, with insufficient attention and funds for the project, the current administration is committed to identifying and engaging more off-takers. We’ve extended the line by over 20 km of 33 kV extension to connect additional off-takers,” Doguwa said.
The machine is designed to take a minimum of 3.5 MW and run continuously for 24 hours, necessitating a 24-hour workforce. Initially, the office load was unsustainable as employees would leave in the evening, shutting down their ACs, which affected the machine’s performance. “We wrote to His Excellency to bring in 24-hour service companies under the willing buyer-willing seller agreement. We have received approval, and work has been completed. The supply has been ongoing for the past four days.