Kenya commences nuclear technology assessment

Kenya said on Monday it has began a nuclear technology assessment study in order to determine the right technology to use to build nuclear power plant.

Kenya Nuclear Electricity Board (KNEB) Acting Technical Affairs Director Winnie Ndubai told Xinhua in Nairobi that the technology selected will have to meet local conditions.

"The size of the power plant to be built, safety and water requirements will determine the technology to be deployed to build a nuclear power plant. At this point Kenya has not selected a nuclear technology," she said.

"We are starting now to assess possible technologies to use in order to meet target of setting up a nuclear power plant when it is needed," Ndubai added.

The East African nation plans to establish a nuclear power plant by end of 2027.

Kenya has also signed a number of Memorandum of Understandings with several nuclear producing countries in order to select the right technology to use.

In 2015, Kenya requested the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to conduct an Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review of its nuclear development programme.

KNEB said that Kenya needs to rely on nuclear power plants because it will exhaust its geothermal, hydro and other sources of power in the next 20 years.

Ndubai noted that nuclear power is also a stable source of electricity that will enable Kenya become a 24-hour economy. Endit