Technical Feasibility Reassessment of Hydropower Development on Mada River for Rural Electrification in Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

Electricity plays a crucial role in a nation’s socioeconomic development. Despite its importance, access to reliable and sustainable electricity remains grossly inadequate in many rural settlements in Nigeria. The seven-household settlement along Mada River is not connected to the national grid and depends mainly on diesel generators. Although a previously installed 5 kW hydrokinetic system is no longer operational, selecting a suitable replacement requires reassessing the site. This study reassesses the technical feasibility of hydropower development on the Mada River for rural electrification in an off-grid rural settlement in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. The study achieved this by setting the following objectives and methods: conducting field measurements of available head with a hand GPS and assessing river flow using the velocity–area method. The findings include a gross head of 2.00 m and discharge of 0.78 m³/s resulting in a theoretical hydropower potential of 15.29 kW; the electricity demand analysis gave a projected demand of 4. 393 kW, which informed the selection of a 5 kW plant capacity; the turbine design flow was determined as 0.340 m³/s, and the selection of a 600 mm internal diameter HDPE penstock resulted in an estimated net head of 1.753 m; the study selected a run-of
river scheme with a propeller turbine, with an estimated output of 4.385 kW. Estimates show that the technical potential of 4.385 kW exceeds the settlement’s current peak demand of 3.14 kW. The findings indicate preliminary technical potential for hydropower generation to support the settlement's basic electricity needs. However, sustainable electricity supply still requires further verification of the available head, seasonal river flow, and system performance. Periodic assessment of future electricity demand, detailed hydraulic design (including flood protection and structural anchoring), and economic and environmental impact assessment are recommended before implementation.