Nigerian Government Signs MOU with Milhouse Engineering to Generate Power from Coal

Nigerian Government Signs MOU with Milhouse Engineering to Generate Power from Coal

In a bid to increase the amount of power Nigeria generates over the next five years, the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its Ministry of Power have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Milhouse Engineering & Construction, Inc. to create energy from coal. The agreement is the beginning of a long-term strategy to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on expensive diesel fuel, leading to a better quality of life and an attractive environment for business investment.

The engineering firm plans to mine high-quality coal on 20,000 acres in the Enugu region. It plans to process the coal into usable energy to power 100 embedded mini-plants capable of generating up to 5 megawatts of power each, for a total up to 500 mw of energy by the end of 2018.

The mini-plants strategy is less expensive than building a coal plant from the ground up, which could take three years and cost upwards of $1.5 billion. It is believed that the implementation of coal-fired power generation will free up available diesel fuel for other uses, alleviating the current scarcity problems being face in Nigeria.

According to Wilbur C. Milhouse III, P.E., President and CEO of Milhouse Engineering & Construction, the firm’s approach will bring relief to many Nigerians while also creating jobs and contracting opportunities for local businesses. Although Nigeria currently has large deposits of coal, it currently produces no power from coal. However, this resource is being used in different parts of the world such as New York which generates about 20,000 megawatts of electricity form coal.

Wilbur Milhouse stated, “I’d like to thank the Nigerian government and the Ministry of Power for the opportunity to bring this important growth industry and its economic benefits to its citizens.” With coal, the Nigerian people will gain access to economic opportunity and business growth enjoyed by citizens in countries with stabilized power. “Milhouse Engineering & Construction is committed to adding value and to making a difference in improving the quality of life for people around the world,” he added.