Kenya has officially designated Siaya County as the location for its first nuclear power plant. This marks a historic milestone in the nation’s energy diversification efforts.
The announcement was made by the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA), which confirmed that a detailed feasibility study identified the Kanyadiang area in Gwassi, Homa Bay, and Uyoma in Siaya as technically suitable sites, with Siaya ultimately chosen.
The choice of Siaya, located in the Lake Victoria region, for the nuclear project is because of its proximity to the Lake.
The selection comes after years of planning to introduce nuclear energy into Kenya’s power mix by 2034.
The proposed plant will help meet rising electricity demand and support the country’s industrialization goals under Kenya Vision 2030.
NuPEA says Kenya needs to bolster its current energy production of 3.4GW to 60GW annually in order to be ready for industrialisation.
Currently, Kenya relies on hydro, wind power, solar and geothermal for power production, which cannot meet the sustainable energy demands of the country.
The project is expected to generate 1GW of electricity initially, with potential expansion in the future.
NuPEA emphasized that the decision considered environmental, geological, and social factors.
Extensive consultations with local communities are also planned to ensure transparency and community participation.
Speaking during the Nuclear Energy stakeholder engagement meeting, Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi said
“Kenya remains committed to implementing the nuclear power programme, while adhering to the highest possible international standards.”.
“Today Kenya is actually progressing through phase 2 of implementation based on the International Atomic Agency (IAA) milestone approach,” he further disclosed.