ESTIMATION OF THE AMOUNT OF ELECTRIC ENERGY GENERATABLE PER YEAR USING RAIN ACCUMULATED WATER FROM ABOH AND AHIAZU MBAISE TO DRIVE A HYDRO TURBINE IN FUTO, NIGERIA.

Flooding, which is now a yearly occurrence in most parts of the World, can be minimized if reservoirs are constructed at suitable locations to store rain accumulated water for the purpose of irrigation or electric power generation. In that light, we have estimated the amount of electric energy that can be generated using rain accumulated water from Aboh and Ahiazu Mbaise in Imo State, Nigeria to drive a hydro turbine in the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria. This was done using the rainfall data of Mbaise, accessed from www.worldweatheronline.com; the land area of Aboh and Ahiazu Mbaise, measured with the help of Google map; and the average altitude difference of FUTO and the reservoir site at Aboh Mbaise, determined with the help of Google topographic map. It was estimated that a total of 9.7 GWh of electricity can be generated per year if 100% of rainwater from Aboh and Ahiazu Mbaise is accumulated and used to drive a hydro turbine in FUTO. This is equivalent to 406 days of 10 MW of electric power. If 30% of the rainwater is accumulated instead, a total of 2.9 GWh of electricity can be generated per year, which is equivalent to 122 days of 10 MW of electric power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]