Kenya writes the master plan for the country’s first nuclear power plant
Kenya took a significant step on Monday in its pursuit of its first-ever nuclear power plant, unveiling a comprehensive strategic plan that is set to guide its implementation.
The Government plans to begin construction of the project in 2027 and operation is scheduled for 2034, in a bid to diversify power generation.
Geothermal energy currently represents the largest share of energy produced for local use, followed by hydroelectric and solar. all renewable energies, so the need is not environmental, but to increase the energy supply in an abundant and continuous way.
Two sites in Kilifi and Kwale counties have already been identified where the plant will be installed, with technical and feasibility studies conducted as part of the plans in place.
Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir, in a speech read on his behalf by Principal Secretary Alex Wachira during the launch, revealed that the country has also started signing relevant treaties and conventions covering nuclear energy.
According to Chirchir, the Government is fully committed to the implementation of the energy program, adhering to the highest international standards. Its implementation, he said, offers a unique combination of reliability, affordability and low carbon emissions, making it an indispensable component of the country's energy future.
“We have identified energy as the key driver of the 2030 vision,” he noted. “Access to clean, green, reliable and sustainable energy is essential to achieving the Government's Vision 2030 and bottom-up economic transformation agenda,” he added.
Preparation for the introduction to nuclear energy is not only a fact linked to the construction of an atomic power plant, but requires a series of training steps such as the writing of safety regulations for its introduction and the training of the personnel who will have to operate in the power plant itself. So it's a process that takes years.
The 2023-2027 plan launched by the Energy and Nuclear Power Agency (NuPEA) will provide a clear strategy for the development of the infrastructure necessary for the construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of nuclear facilities safely and protected.
Its successful implementation will also see increased understanding, social acceptance and support of nuclear energy and research reactor programmes, as well as increased stakeholder support and participation in energy research.
Furthermore, the plan will lead to a developed research infrastructure, increased human resource capacity in the energy and oil sectors, and strengthened collaboration with local and international academic and research institutions.
The CEO of the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) Justus Wabuyabo, during the launch of the nuclear strategic plan
The size of the investment and the objective
How much does Kenya want to invest in the production of its first nuclear reactor? The amount that the country intends to invest is equal to 500 billion Kenyan shillings, approximately 3.25 billion dollars, an important figure for an African country with a population of 53 million inhabitants, but only 110 billion dollars of gross domestic product . To make a comparison, it is as if Italy invested around ninety.
The CEO of the Kenyan Nuclear Agency, Justus Wabuyabo, for his part said they have signed memoranda of understanding with various countries, including the United States, South Korea and China, for its implementation. At present it does not appear that a precise partner has yet been defined for this expansion which will make Kenya one of the first African countries equipped with atomic energy. Currently only South Africa has a functioning nuclear power plant, while Egypt will have one soon and Ghana is developing an experimental reactor.
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The article Kenya writes the master plan for the country's first nuclear power plant comes from Economic Scenarios .
This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/il-kenya-scrive-il-piano-guida-per-la-prima-centrale-nucleare-del-paese/ on Tue, 19 Mar 2024 10:00:06 +0000.