Nuclear energy will be a huge win for the economy, agency says

Experts have allayed concerns about the safety of nuclear technology, saying Kenya will benefit greatly from its nascent nuclear programme.

However, Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority (KNRA) officials said the country’s nuclear energy rollout requires long-term planning to be fully utilized.

They said the enactment of the Nuclear Regulatory Act, 2019, establishing the KNRA, was a welcome development for the development of nuclear energy in Kenya.

Isaac Mundia, director of nuclear safety at the Kenya National Nuclear Authority, said nuclear energy will help Kenya increase energy independence, improve supply reliability and reduce electricity costs, thereby promoting economic development.

Mr. Mundia said nuclear power would be as safe as solar power through effective regulation of the three key stages of nuclear power infrastructure development, including safety, legal framework, radiation protection and human resource development.

“It’s as safe as solar energy. It’s one of the safest sources of energy,” he told a forum convened yesterday by the Kenya Environment Institute to discuss environmental and social safeguards in the context of the global energy transition.

Kenya hopes to have its first nuclear power plant up and running by 2035, according to the Nuclear and Energy Agency of Kenya (NuPEA). Currently, a construction site has been identified in the coastal belt and a feasibility study is underway.

Current estimates show that Kenya’s total installed capacity includes 863 MW of geothermal, 838 MW of hydropower, 436 MW of wind, 2 MW of biomass, 173 MW of solar, and 678 MW of thermal. As of 2023, the country’s installed electricity capacity is 3,321 MW.

Edward Mayaka, director of public awareness at the Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority, said the regulator was working around the clock to ensure construction activities for Kenya’s first reactor met safety standards.