Residents of Uyombo in Kilifi county are opposed to having a nuclear power station in their area.
They are primarily concerned about the environmental risks of living next to a nuclear power plant. Nuclear waste has a half-life of over 1,000 years meaning that it will have to be stored safely for at least a millenium. Moreover rising sea levels will increase the risk of flooding at any nuclear power station on the coast (as at Fukushima).
On the positive side, nuclear power does not emit greenhouse gases that cause global warming.
But cost is the real reason that Kenyans should be concerned. A 1,000 megawatt nuclear power plant would cost at least $5 billion (Sh700 billion) but wind power is half the price.
Kenya has the second-highest geothermal potential in the world. That is not yet fully exploited and is also cheaper than nuclear as is solar power.
To make matters worse, government has entered into multiple costly power purchase agreement with private suppliers that it is trying to cancel.
Right now, Kenya power output is 3,000 megawatts. Let's only consider nuclear after the potential for cheaper geothermal, wind and solar power is exhausted.
Quote of the day: "Give me a fruitful error anytime, full of seeds, bursting with its own corrections."
Vilfredo Pareto
The Italian economist was born on July 15, 1848