Kenya Faces Licensing Challenges on Way to 1,000-Megawatt Nuclear Project

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Written by Richard Finlayson, Senior International Editor for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Kenya is facing a challenging list of pre-conditions set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as it plans to commission a 1,000-megawatt (MW) nuclear reactor in 2022-25.

Among the key requirements that Kenya must fulfill is an upscaling of current power generation capacity to at least 10,000 MW to create a reliable and secure energy system, and the training of 1,000 personnel in nuclear energy technology, before the nuclear plant is constructed.

IAEA official Anne Starz said the country will need to address at least 19 issues before it can be granted a license. She added that, at this stage, the IAEA had no problem with Kenya's nuclear ambitions.

The $3.5 billion plant could possibly be sited in Kisumu, adjacent to Lake Victoria, or Mombasa on the Indian Ocean coast, with both locations offering good water resources.

Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said that at this stage, the location of the reactor had not been agreed on, nor has the financing arrangement, with the government preferring a public-private partnership.

Chirchir said the government is committed to ensuring that the energy sector and the nuclear energy initiative pump up power generation to support growth. Six months ago, the government launched a 5,000-MW electrification program to be delivered in 40 months.

"This program will increase electricity output from the current 1,700 MW to nearly 7,000 MW by the end of 2016, based on geothermal, natural gas, coal, solar and wind as the source of energy," Chirchir said.

In Africa, only South Africa has a nuclear plant in operation, but Nigeria, Ghana and Egypt are planning for nuclear power capability.

For related information, see October 29, 2013, article - Kenyan Coal and Gas-Fired Power Projects Attract 62 Applications.

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