An NEA delegation led by Director-General William D. Magwood, IV visited Kenya on 21-30 August 2024 to see firsthand the progress made in developing the country’s nuclear energy programme, which foresees the construction and commissioning of its first nuclear power plant as well as a research reactor in the next decade.
NEA Director-General William D. Magwood, IV and H.E. Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary of Kenya.
The NEA delegation discussed these plans with His Excellency Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary of Kenya. During the meeting, Director-General Magwood presented the new NEA initiative, “Our Common Journey”, through which the Agency will engage with African countries interested in exploring nuclear energy. Focused on building co-operative frameworks and knowledge sharing, this initiative will help develop the necessary policies and infrastructure needed for the safe and effective use of nuclear energy in Africa.
This initiative, as well as the challenges related to nuclear financing and potential co-operation opportunities, was further discussed with Hon. James Opiyo Wandayi, Cabinet Secretary at the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum of Kenya.
Meeting with Hon. James Opiyo Wandayi, Cabinet Secretary at the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum.
Director-General Magwood also met with Justus Wabuyabo, CEO of Kenya’s Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA), to discuss Kenya's Nuclear Strategic Plan released earlier this year, as well as NuPEA’s ongoing projects and programmes and possible areas for collaboration.
During a meeting with James Keter and Omondi Anyanga, Director General and Chairman of the Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority (KNRA) respectively, Director-General Magwood exchanged views on opportunities and challenges associated with nuclear energy development in the country and discussed potential co-operation, especially in the areas of capacity building and knowledge sharing.
Left: Meeting with James Keter, Director General, and Omondi Anyanga, Chairman of the Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority (KNRA); right: meeting with Justus Wabuyabo, CEO of Kenya’s Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA).
The NEA mission to Kenya included a meeting with Eng. Peter Njenga, Managing Director and CEO of Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen), and a tour of the Olkaria Geothermal Power Station.
During a visit to Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Director-General Magwood delivered a lecture on the potential of nuclear energy to contribute to environmental and development goals.
Discussing key enablers of nuclear energy programmes in Africa
While Africa has great energy potential, only a fraction of it is currently deployed, with over 640 million people living without access to reliable electricity in the region. To meet growing electricity demand and to mitigate climate change, some African countries are exploring nuclear energy options.
Against this background, the US-Africa Nuclear Energy Summit held in Nairobi, Kenya, convened key stakeholders to discuss Africa’s industry readiness for the expansion of nuclear energy. During the event, Director-General Magwood delivered a keynote speech and joined a high-level panel where he highlighted that trained people and access to electricity will be the determinants of economic success or failure in the future and that in many countries around the world, nuclear energy will play an important role.
Panellists at the US-Africa Nuclear Energy Summit: (from left to right) Aleshia Duncan, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of International Cooperation, Office of Nuclear Energy, US Department of Energy; Commissioner David Wright, US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); William D. Magwood, IV, NEA Director-General; Wilhelmina Asamoah, Chief Director, Ghana Ministry of Energy; Lassina Zerbo, Chairperson, Rwanda Atomic Energy Board; Bonnie Jenkins, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, US Department of State; Shaukat Abdulrazak, Director for the Division of Africa, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
On the margins of the US-Africa Nuclear Energy Summit, Director-General Magwood met with Hon. Dkt. Doto Mashaka Biteko, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy of Tanzania, Lassina Zerbo, Chairperson of Rwanda Atomic Energy Board, as well as other senior government officials from participating countries.
Director-General Magwood and Lassina Zerbo, Chairperson of Rwanda Atomic Energy Board. Rwanda will be the hosting country of the US-Africa Nuclear Energy Summit 2025.
“As an embarking country, Kenya has a great potential to set an example and pave the way for more nations on the continent to explore their nuclear energy options,” said Director-General Magwood after the visit to Kenya. “I look forward to working together with Kenyan authorities, as well as governments and stakeholders from other countries in Africa to support safe, economic and sustainable development of nuclear energy programmes on the continent.”
NEA Director-General Magwood delivers a keynote speech at the US-Africa Nuclear Energy Summit.
The development of commercial nuclear reactors in Africa and potential co-operation with the NEA countries in the field will be explored at the Roadmaps to New Nuclear conference co-organised by the NEA and the Ministry for Climate and Enterprise of Sweden in Paris in September 2024.
