Kenya expects to break ground for its Ksh 80 billion nuclear research facility at Konza City as it embarks on development of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
Speaking during the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review Mission for a New Research Reactor (INIR-RR) Phase 2, hosted in Nairobi by the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA), Science, Research and Innovation Principal Secretary Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak said the research reactor will help Kenya to strengthen its nuclear technology through capacity building.
“I am glad that looking at the milestone document of the Atomic Energy Agency, Kenya is now being categorised in the phase two. We have three phases there, and this facility is very critical, very important for us, because we would like to embark on nuclear power programme. And this, in many occasions, it becomes a precursor, because it will enable us to provide the necessary research that will be needed in different thematic area as well,” said Abdulrazak.
The facility whose groundbreaking is scheduled for next year will see Kenya join a list of 55 countries globally which have research reactors, 8 of which are in Africa.
According to Prof Abdulrazak, the research reactor is critical in enabling Kenya to conduct necessary trainings such as that will be required here in different disciplines. For example, we can easily be able to use research reactor in production of molybdenum-99 which is used to produce radioisotopes used in medical diagnosis.
“It’s going to be a facility that will enable us to produce the necessary technicians, engineers, and, of course, experts that will enable us to have a critical mass of Kenyans to be embarking on a nuclear programme in the country. As we go into the future as well with the nuclear power programme, we will be able to have more people trained here. With 89 universities now and in future, the number is increasing,” he added.
In developing the facility, Kenya expects to finance the project through a Public Private Partnership identifying it as a long-term investment.
This comes as Kenya expected to commence construction of a Small Modular Reactor in Siaya County next year at a cost of Ksh 500 billion.
“Kenya is going to ground break for the first nuclear power plant of 2,000 megawatts in Siaya next year, with the power going to the grid in 2034. And such reactor will be a very useful tool for training purposes. Instead of taking all our engineers and scientists to study abroad, we can utilise this such reactor as a training ground for the workers in the nuclear power plant,” said Justus Wabuyabo, Chief Executive Officer NuPEA.
With the ability to produce radioisotopes locally used in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, Kenya is also targeting to cut imports of radioisotopes mainly from South Africa and encourage medical tourism.
