Kenya’s plan to construct its first nuclear power plant will now wait beyond the 2030 timeline envisioned when the idea was conceptualized. The Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) made the announcement and said that lengthy compliance procedures needed before setting up a nuclear power plant will only be ready in 2035, pushing the dream to have the major base load energy source further away.
“The nuclear power generation plan will now heavily rely on how fast the country will expand its manufacturing sector and encourage establishment of more industries capable of consuming huge levels of power,” said NuPEA Chief Executive Collins Juma.
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Best base load power sources
Nuclear energy, which is capital intensive is billed as among the best base load power sources to power industrial plants and heavy power consumers. NuPEA had already zeroed zeroed in at the coast along the Indian Ocean, Lake Victoria and Lake Turkana as the most ideal sites to set up the power plant. Mr Collins Juma said the sites were narrowed down after analysis of a number of environmental factors. These include, water, seismology and geology and ranked based on a numerical value assigned to each of the factors.
The nuclear power plant projected was to be built in the next 8-10 years at a cost of US 5bn. It was expected to produce 1,000MW of power upon completion and act a source to fill the energy deficit Kenya.
Kenya joins South Africa South Africa, which in August 2018 cancelled plans to add 9,600 MW of nuclear power by 2030 and will instead aim to add more capacity in natural gas, wind and other energy sources. It had already sought a partner to produce the nuclear power by 2022 to help match-up rising demand and diversify from hydropower and geothermal.
