Should plans by Kenya to join South Africa as the only other country in Africa producing nuclear power come to fruition, then such a plant will most likely be located in Kwale or Kilifi counties.
This was revealed yesterday in Eldoret during a forum to get views from the public on the proposed Sh500 billion project, whose construction is contingent on an environmental impact assessment (EIA) due to be conducted soon, officials said.
Mr Justus Wabuyabo, who heads the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency’s legal department, said the power plant is projected to contribute1,000 megawatts to the national grid.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the forum, Mr Wabuyabo said the plant would provide a sustainable source of energy besides creating thousands of jobs.
“The project is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs directly and indirectly employ 100,000 more people,” he said.
The Nuclear Power and Energy Agency, the official said, has rolled out public participation and awareness forums in the counties to collect views from citizens before the plant is built.
Mr Wabuyabo said Kwale and Kilifi have been identified as the most preferred locations for putting up the nuclear reactor since they are not prone to natural calamities, like earthquakes.
“Once the nuclear power plant project is actualised, Kenyans will enjoy a drastic reduction in the cost of electricity. The country will also attract investors because of the availability of cheap power,” he said.
Other benefits people living near the reactor will enjoy include improved infrastructure and construction of learning institutions and hospitals.
Before the nuclear reactor is built, Mr Wabuyabo said, an EIA will be conducted in the proposed location to determine the project’s viability.
South Africa is the only African country with an operating nuclear power plant, which has been producing power since 1984. The Koeberg Power Station is about 30 kilometres from Cape Town and has two reactors each producing 900 megawatts.
Kenya’s energy mix currently consists of geothermal (45 per cent), hydropower (28 per cent), wind (13 per cent) and diesel-run generators (11 per cent) according to the Economic Survey.
Experts say that while hydropower is the cheapest, it depends on weather, hence unreliable during dry spells. The nuclear plant would be Kenya’s biggest and most expensive project since the standard gauge railway.
The Kenya Nuclear Electricity Board has signed an MoU with China, Russia, South Korea and Slovakia for nuclear training.
