Uganda has in recent days generated plans in order to start the generation of Nuclear power by the year 2031 to facilitate shortages of power in the country.
70 percent of the power generated in Uganda is from hydro sources, but this is not enough to meet the country’s current consumption.
Other power includes biomass, geothermal, and solar energies. Only about 22 percent of Ugandans currently have access to power.
The country has also increased industrial investment and started oil and gas production, which requires huge amounts of electricity to run the plants.
“The potential of Uganda to, you know, to generate from hydro is about 4,500, megawatts, and the usage of power, our projections estimate that we are looking to have over 40,000 megawatts by 2040”, the Ugandan official said.
Now the government is pinning its hopes on nuclear energy as a reliable means of power generation.
Stakeholders in the nuclear industry are meeting in Kampala to discuss developments and help find suitable approaches to power generation.
“In 2005, Uganda experienced a severe drought that affected the hydrology of the River Nile, which affected the electricity generation from the Old Falls Dam. As a result, we resulted in the expensive fossil fire power plants supporting the economy. This prompted me to direct the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development to diversify the energy mix, re to develop all the available energy resources, including nuclear energy as a means to address the electricity needs of the country”, President Yoweri Museveni said in Kampala.
Uganda’s nuclear plant is expected to produce 2000 megawatts of electricity at the onset, and they are not the only ones looking for a nuclear future.
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Uganda is among seven African countries committed to having nuclear power for using energy generation by 2040. Officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency are part of this meeting to help the government set up the infrastructure.
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Uganda will partner with nuclear powers like China, South Korea, and Russia to develop the nuclear energy project.
Nuclear power is considered cost-effective, and now a more competitive, cleaner energy source globally. The first potential site for Uganda is located in the Buyende district in the Eastern part of the country. If all goes to plan, it would make it only the second nuclear plant on the continent after South Africa.
