AfrElec: Kenya to cooperate with Russia to develop nuclear and renewable energy sectors

Kenya will increase its collaboration with Russia to develop its nuclear and renewable energy industries, Kenya’s Ambassador to Russia stated at a forum held in the Russian city of Stavropol on October 4-5.

Facing challenges to its power supply given its heavy reliance on hydropower, which is susceptible to climate change, Kenya is pivoting towards greater use of nuclear and renewable energy in its power mix.

As a global leader in the nuclear energy sector, Russia has extensive experience constructing nuclear power plants, which Kenya will lean on to develop the sector.

Kenya has set an ambitious target to begin construction of the country’s flagship nuclear power plant in 2027. The proposed plant would boast a production capacity of 1,000 MW and after the completion of pre-feasibility studies, Nairobi has narrowed down the location for the prospective plant to two sites.

The project is expected to come at a price tag of KES500bn ($3.86bn) and in addition to Russia, Kenya has also signed agreements with China, South Korea and Slovakia to help develop the project.

The news of increased cooperation between Kenya and Russia in the nuclear industry comes just one week after Kenya signed an historic memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC) during the 68th International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference in Vienna on September 20.

Beyond nuclear energy, Kenya also hopes to tap into Russian expertise in the solar industry, where a growing number of companies are emerging in Russia, despite the country not traditionally being seen as a leader in the sector.

Kenya currently boasts an installed energy capacity of 3,321 MW relying on hydroelectric, geothermal, wind and solar power.

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