As the world grapples with the existential threat of climate change, Kenya finds itself at a pivotal moment, ready to embark on a transformative journey towards sustainability.
President William Ruto's pledge to achieve complete transition to green energy by 2050 underscores the urgency and ambition driving the country's energy agenda.
At the forefront of this movement is the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA), which emerges as a beacon of hope, offering a path to sustainable energy independence.
In an exclusive interview with the agency’s CEO Justus Wabubayo, we delve into the ambitious plans to establish the country's first nuclear power plant.
Our conversation unfolded like a roadmap to the future, as the CEO unveiled the visionary plans to spearhead the establishment of the plant.
We also unravel the complexities, motivations and strategic imperatives driving the intergration of nuclear power into the energy landscape.
From the pressing need for reliable, low-carbon energy sources to the intricate preparations required to navigate this journey, our interview offers a glimpse into the bold vision of the man expected to deliver this vital project.
Why does Kenya require nuclear energy?
First and foremost, as you are aware, the country has been facing frequent blackouts, which sometimes are caused by intermittent sources of energy, and which has really affected the efforts by our country to industrialise.
Nuclear energy has been proven to be a stable base load in the sense it can provide measured electricity without any intermittency.
Another aspect of nuclear is that we are grappling with climate change, and one of its main causes is the Co2 emissions into the air. Therefore, during the COP 28, countries of the world came together and agreed to increase the generation of nuclear energy in a bid to address it.
Nuclear power plants do not produce Co2 during operations, and so, they are a clean source of clean energy.
By their size, the nuclear plants also occupy very little footprint and, therefore, they have a very small carbon footprint.
You can choose to locate it in a place where you know it will have little impact on the environment, and you will not have to cut too many trees or affect a lot of vegetation, and that is very important to us as a country.
For a long time, we have depended on energy generated through fossil fuels and as we plan to retire it in 2032, nuclear will provide a very appropriate solution to complement the other sources of clean energy that we get from hydro, geothermal, solar and wind.
So, nuclear power is important to us at this point in not only providing us a stable, reliable and affordable electricity, but also in spurring our economic growth.
By attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), we shall have more investors coming into our country to set up industries that will have a ripple effect of creating employment for our people.
It also help us as a country to do value addition so that we can export more of finished products rather than exporting raw materials, thus help us manage foreign exchange balance.
At an immediate level, nuclear power plant will be a source of employment, because nuclear plants around the world are estimated to employ 800-1,000 people directly and can support an additional 35,000 indirectly.
Where are we in terms of developing the nuclear plant?
As you may be aware, Kenya is a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
For countries planning to set up nuclear power plants, IAEA has set out what we call a 'Milestone Approach', which has three phases to be adhered to.
In the first phase, a country makes necessary considerations before a decision to launch a nuclear power programme is undertaken.
This is basically a brainstorming session by the policy makers, political leadership among other stakeholders on how to power their economy.
According to the IAEA, experience suggests that the time from the initial consideration of the nuclear power option by a country to the operation of its first nuclear power plant is about 10-15 years.
This was done in 2010, during the tenure of late President Mwai Kibaki as part of Vision 2030 plan.
The government noted that the vision would only be achieved if we have sufficient sources of energy and so they decided that as a country, we shall incorporate nuclear as one of the sources.
Once you conclude Phase 1, you attain milestone one which is known as “ready to make a knowledgeable commitment to a nuclear power programme”.
Kenya has attained this.
We had an integrated nuclear review mission, where IAEA comes with experts from other countries to do a review and confirm if the country has met all the requirements.
In 2018, they (IAEA) came to check this and in 2021, they certified that we have attained Milestone 1.
We are now in milestone two.
This is a stage where preparatory works are undertaken for constructing the first power plant.
Here, you conduct activities that include ensuring you have enough personnel; deciding how to finance it and ensuring you have established the necessary legal and regulatory frameworks.
In each of the three phases, there are 19 nuclear infrastructure issues requiring specific actions which a country must attain.
It includes national position, nuclear safety, nuclear security, site and supporting facilities, radiation protection, electrical grid, environmental protection and industrial involvement.
In this phase, we are largely focusing on ensuring we have enough Kenyans who are trained in the nuclear programme, setting up legal frameworks and working with executive and Parliament to accede to some critical international treaties.
At the end of it, we will then have fulfilled the requirements of Phase 2, and we shall be certified as to have attained Milestone 2.
This is to say we are ready to invite bids for the construction of the first nuclear plant.
At this stage, we can negotiate with the vendor countries that have this technology to supply us.
The main vendors are the US, France, China and South Korea, and this is not to say they are only ones with the technology, they are the ones commercially involved in it.
What do you consider when selecting partners to work with?
As a country, we are looking out for the best interests of Kenya and not any other party, considering this is a lifetime programme.
A nuclear power plant operates for eight years, so we have to negotiate carefully. This is like entering into a relationship for eight years.
When negotiating, we are looking at our ability to finance a country ready to train our people, among other things.
We are also looking at a country that gives us the latest technology at an affordable price and reasonable repayment plan, and that which is ready to deliver on time and on budget.
We are talking of a project that will cost millions of shillings, and you can imagine if it is to be completed in five years and delayed for a year, the interests rates will raise, among other negative effects.
We hope to conclude the invitation of bids in June 2026 and in 2027, we hope to invite the President to the groundbreaking for the inaugural nuclear power plant.
We intend to put up a plant of 1,000 megawatts, which will be delivered in five years.
In 2032, we shall commission it if everything goes as planned, and at this stage, we shall be said to have attained Milestone 3.
We intend to put up a plant of 1,000 megawatts, which will be delivered in five years
How is Kenya safeguarding the interests of communities in host counties?
We have done site identification and picked Kilifi as the best site and Kwale as the preferred site.
We have already engaged the communities in those areas through various nuclear programmes, and we have assured them a nuclear programme is very safe.
But, recognising there have been accidents in some parts of the world, we have let them know that the technology that is available currently is the safest, and that no one will be at risk, and that the ecology will not be affected.
In line with the constitution, we are also compensating the people living in those areas.
We are also raising awareness among Kenyans despite it being located in Kilifi because it has an impact on all Kenyans.
According to international law, we are even required to engage the neighbouring countries because they are the stakeholders; it is a project that must be delivered with a lot of sensitivity with attention to issues of security.
The project is set to cost Sh500 billion. Where will you get such financing, and will there be value for money?
Nuclear power plants are very costly, and to deliver a 1,000 megawatts plant, it is estimated to cost Sh500 billion.
This will be a major project to be delivered by our country, but the saving grace is that these projects are money-minting enterprises, and with the operation of eight years, it can repay itself in a period of 17 to 20 years.
By the time we are doing 40 years, that will have been able to buy another one, and by 60, we shall have third one.
We intend to deliver this project through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) of G to G (government to government).
Do we have local experts to run the plant and ensure there are no dangers affecting Kenyans?
Nuclear power plants are a national security project, and you cannot entrust it to foreigners, even though the technology is borrowed.
So, what we are currently doing is training enough Kenyans in the area of nuclear science and technology, engineering, law, human resource, finance and procurement, governance and all spectrums of governance.
Some have also travelled abroad to learn about nuclear policy and laws.
What we have done is to work with institutions within the country that will be involved in the project, such as KPLC, REREC, GDC and KenGen, by giving them scholarships to study in our local varsities.
Up to now, we have trained more than 60 of them, and by the time we start the construction, we should be having up to 300 Kenyans who will be a good seed human capital to start us off.
By 2027, we will have developed a local curriculum by working with TVETs to train artisans and technicians who will be able to work in the nuclear plants.
This will be a major project to be delivered by our country, but the saving grace is that these projects are money-minting enterprises, and with the operation of eight years, it can repay itself in a period of 17 to 20 years
What do you say about the government’s commitment towards the project?
The government's backing of this programme is evident in the enactment of the 2019 Act, which institutionalises NuPEA into law.
Continued financial support from the government, along with positive engagement from the ministry, further underscores its commitment to our initiatives.
We are also organising a major nuclear conference in August this year that will bring together industry stakeholders to delve into discussions around nuclear energy, and the government is fully supportive.
How is Kenya preparing to deal with the challenges around radioactive waste and other concerns about the project?
The current technology ensures that the nuclear fuel waste generated by the plant will be stored on-site throughout its operation, rather than being disposed of immediately.
Additionally, the global community is advancing the development of permanent repositories and containment systems to safely store such waste before disposal.
As a matter of fact, the issue of nuclear waste has been effectively managed and it is not of concern anymore.
What are some of the challenges you are facing in this journey?
Securing funding has been our primary obstacle as the project contends with other national priorities.
Nevertheless, we're collaborating with the government to devise a plan that allows us to proceed without impeding those priorities.
Additionally, a shortage of personnel poses a challenge, but we are actively engaging with other stakeholders to tackle this issue.