The federal government has stepped up efforts to combine nuclear vitality into Kenya’s energy combine, as a part of a broader technique to speed up industrialization, with plans for the nation’s first nuclear plant in Siaya County gaining momentum.
Talking in Kisumu throughout an induction workshop for Siaya County leaders, Nuclear Energy and Power Company (NuPEA) Chairman, Eng. Lawrence Gumbe, mentioned the proposed plant will play a important position in bridging the nation’s electrical energy deficit and supporting industrial progress.
Gumbe famous that Kenya at present produces about 3,000 megawatts in opposition to a projected demand of a minimum of 60,000 megawatts wanted to attain its industrialisation targets underneath Imaginative and prescient 2030.
Nuclear Energy and Power (NuPEA) board chairman Eng. Lawrence Gumbe addressing the media in Kisumu on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 throughout an induction workshop for Siaya leaders on nuclear vitality.
He mentioned the nation’s per capita electrical energy consumption stands at about 190 kilowatt-hours—far under the three,000 to 7,000 kilowatt-hours recorded in industrialized economies underscoring the urgency of scaling up technology.
“The proposed nuclear power plant in Siaya can generate up to 6,000 megawatts within a short period, more than doubling the current supply and providing stable, round-the-clock power for industries,” he mentioned.
Whereas acknowledging the position of renewable vitality, Gumbe mentioned sources similar to wind, hydro and photo voltaic are intermittent, making nuclear vitality important for offering a dependable base load.
He additional assured that security stays a high precedence, noting that Kenya is aligning itself with worldwide requirements, together with the ratification of key nuclear security conventions.
“There is no risk-free development, but nuclear energy is among the safest based on global data. We must work together with all stakeholders to ensure its success,” he mentioned.
Gumbe added that the momentum in the direction of nuclear vitality is rising throughout the continent, with nations similar to Egypt, South Africa, Ethiopia and Rwanda at varied levels of creating nuclear energy programmes.
Past electrical energy technology, he mentioned the Siaya venture will embody a nuclear analysis reactor to help medical, agricultural and engineering purposes, decreasing reliance on international amenities for specialised companies similar to most cancers diagnostics.
He revealed that NuPEA is already in discussions with Jaramogi Oginga Odinga College of Science and Know-how (JOOUST), Masinde Muliro College of Science and Know-how (MMUST) and Kisumu Nationwide Polytechnic to develop coaching and analysis capability in nuclear science and know-how.
The deliberate venture, estimated to value about Sh1 trillion, is anticipated to interrupt floor in March 2027, with NuPEA figuring out a number of potential websites in Siaya County alongside the shores of Lake Victoria.
Siaya Governor James Orengo backed the venture, describing it as a transformative funding that would redefine the county’s financial trajectory.
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He mentioned the plant is prone to be the one largest funding in Kenya’s historical past, with far-reaching impacts past vitality, together with infrastructure improvement and industrial progress.
“I have this belief that if Siaya gets a primary investor that can help lift our economy, which is largely subsistence, then Siaya is going to be a different place,” mentioned Orengo.
The governor mentioned host communities may benefit from concessionary electrical energy tariffs, a transfer anticipated to draw buyers in search of decrease manufacturing prices.
He, nonetheless, emphasised that the success of the venture will depend upon sustained public engagement and the consent of host communities.
“Consultation will not be a one-off thing. It must be continuous, with public participation before, during and after implementation,” he mentioned.
Orengo additionally sought to allay fears over environmental dangers, citing his go to to a decades-old nuclear plant in Hungary the place surrounding communities proceed to depend on fish from close by water our bodies.
“We must listen to science and facts instead of rumours,” he mentioned.
On the similar time, he warned that Kenya dangers falling behind regional and international friends if it fails to spend money on large-scale vitality tasks, noting that nations similar to Egypt, Ethiopia and South Africa are already forward in electrical energy technology capability.
KenGen Managing Director Eng. Peter Njenga, mentioned the utility was set to take up the owner-operator position of the plant following its appointment by the federal government.
Njenga mentioned nuclear energy improvement requires long-term planning, strict regulatory compliance and specialised expertise, including that KenGen is investing in human useful resource improvement to construct the mandatory experience.
“We are building the capacity and working closely with relevant agencies to ensure Kenya is ready to safely operate and manage nuclear energy infrastructure,” he mentioned.
KenGen board member Umuru Wario, underscored the significance of transparency and stakeholder engagement in delivering the venture.
“A nuclear power plant is not just an energy project—it is a long-term investment that requires trust, dialogue and access to accurate information,” he mentioned.
Wario added that profitable nuclear tasks globally are these the place host communities are handled as companions, with steady engagement and entry to credible data.
The venture was initially proposed for Kilifi County however was relocated to Siaya following resistance from native communities, highlighting the important position of public belief in main infrastructure tasks.
The workshop introduced collectively the governor, Members of the County Meeting and different high county officers, most of whom backed the venture however referred to as for intensified public sensitisation to handle issues and dispel misinformation surrounding nuclear vitality.
by Chris Mahandara
