An official in Kenya has confirmed that the country hopes to build a 1,000 megawatt nuclear plant in the next decade and has sent delegations to South Korea, the U.S. and China to explore potential reactor technologies.
Xinhua quoted the head of the Kenya Nuclear Electricity Board as saying 15 Kenyans are taking part in nuclear training programs in South Korea, while six have been sent to the U.S. and two are in China. He also confirmed that geologic studies of potential sites are expected to be complete in three years. The earliest a new plant could come online is 2023, although plans call for 4,000 megawatts of installed nuclear generation by 2031.
Kenya does not currently operate any power reactors but has explored civilian nuclear development since at least 2010. According to the World Nuclear Association, the International Atomic Energy Agency reviewed tentative plans for a plant using South Korean technology near Nairobi in 2011.