State agencies upbeat on Kenya’s nuclear energy drive
Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority Director General James Keter (right) with Nuclear Power and Energy Agency CEO Justus Wabuyabo in Nairobi on January 26, 2024.
What you need to know:
- Kenya's total installed energy capacity is 863 MW geothermal, 838 MW hydro, 436 MW wind, 2 MW biomass, 173 MW solar and 678 MW thermal.
- A nuclear power project site has been identified on the Coast and further feasibility studies are underway
Government agencies charged with developing and regulating the nuclear sector have pledged to work together to ensure Kenya's nuclear programme stays on track.
Kenya hopes to have its first nuclear power plant operational by 2035. A site has been identified on the Coast and further feasibility studies are underway.
The country also plans to commission its first research reactor between 2030 and 2034, with support from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria.
On Friday, Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) CEO Justus Wabuyabo met with Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority (KNRA) Director General James Keter in Nairobi and pledged to work together to fast-track the programme.
It is hoped that nuclear power will help to meet the country's energy needs. Kenya's total installed energy capacity is 863 MW geothermal, 838 MW hydro, 436 MW wind, 2 MW biomass, 173 MW solar and 678 MW thermal.
"We will not let the country down by bungling the programme," Mr Keter said, adding: "For the record, this is a government project. We're committed to getting it right. There are security and environmental issues, but we have made sure that we get it right from the start.
KNRA board chairperson Omondi Anyanga said it's necessary to learn from success stories in other countries to ensure further development of the sector and a robust regulatory framework, which falls squarely within the mandate of the two agencies.
The officials said that after taking stock of current and planned activities, they were confident that the nuclear ambitions would be realised within the official projection.
"From conception to construction and throughout its life, we will ensure that it is built to international standards with full safety and security measures," said the KNRA director general.
Mr Wabuyabo called for more collaboration in the nuclear sector. "We want to work more closely in this journey," he said. The talks, held at the KNRA headquarters at Kasneb Towers,
Nairobi came at a time when Kenya has made progress in developing its nuclear infrastructure, including a new research reactor programme.
Late last year, a team led by the International Atomic Energy Agency visited Kenya and reviewed preparations for the research reactor programme. The project will be implemented by NuPEA with the support of KNRA as the sector regulator.
"KNRA has to work very closely with NuPEA, which is working on the infrastructure issues, while we are working on the regulatory framework. Our relationship is very cordial towards the implementation of the nuclear programme," said Mr Keter.
In addition to the KNRA's regulatory role of protecting lives and the environment from the harmful effects of nuclear and radiation, the authority hosts the chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) risk mitigation centre at its national laboratory in Oloolua, Kajiado County.
According to the IAEA, Kenya has made significant preparations for the country's new research reactor programme. "Kenya has demonstrated a sustained and very professional approach to the development of its research reactor programme," said Andrey Sitnikov, who led the IAEA review mission to Kenya from 11 to 19 December last year.
He said: "We noted that before the final decision was taken, Kenya had done a great job in developing and preparing legislation and regulatory documents, actively involving interested stakeholders in the programme and developing the human resources of the future operator and regulator."
