Kenya and the United States agreed to sign the MoU on nuclear energy cooperation during the IAEA General Conference be held in Vienna in September this year as Kenya Plans to Construct Its First Nuclear Power Plant.
The MoU will aim at fostering cooperation in Nuclear policy, Research and Regulation in Energy, Health, Agriculture as indicated from the meeting held in Nairobi between the Nuclear regulators from both countries.
Kenya’s ambition nuclear power plant for 2027
Kenya has set it’s sights launch construction of its first Nuclear electrical power plant in 2027 with the power to produce 1000MW. After conducting a series of pre-feasibility studies in the prior years, last year, identified two potential locations for developing an NPP which should go a long way in meeting the growing demand for electricity as the country aims to become a middle-income economy by 2030.
Kenya and the US have been working more and more together in obtaining nuclear energy, which is shown by the current State visit of President William Ruto. During the visit, he and President of the United States of America, Joe Biden brainstormed on power relations that embraced clean energy and resilience with agendas of improving the United States Africa nuclear energy cooperation.
On the other hand, the KNRA Director General James Keter urged the international support to assist it “to enhance its capacity and direction the (?) of the 15 new regulations which relate to the Nuclear Regulatory Act 2019 through consultations”.
Projected cost and timeline
Kenya expects 1,000 MW and will cost $ 3. 87 billion (KES500bn) to construct and is targeting to complete the project by 2034. Consequently, the project is at the moment still in its preparatory stage
The chairman of KNRA, Mr Omondi Anyanga reiterated the advantage that is in having the MoU signed and implemented. “I believe that this agreement is going to be profitable in the long run,” he added. “We have come a long way and are willing to expand partnership with the United States. ”
It was made during the United States–Africa Summit in Kenya where people for the energy industry and governance came together.
The Deputy Director General of the IAEA, Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak, stressed the need of the continent to get into nuclear power in order to meet its increasing demand and de-carbonize its energy sector. You know that Africa has so many low hanging fruits that it must be ready to grab, he said
China, Russia, Slovakia and South Korea have signed various deals with Kenya to assist Nairobi in the formulation of its first NPP. Rosatom of Russia and several Chinese firms have been pressuring Nairobi to supply the needed nuclear technology for the project according to CK on January 3, 2023.
