President William Ruto has announced that Kenya is planning to triple its energy supply and invest in nuclear power to support industrial growth and economic transformation.
Speaking on Wednesday at the International Conference on Nuclear Energy in Nairobi, he said the country needs more engineers, technicians and energy infrastructure to support development, investments and growing electricity demand across the country, stating that training more professionals is necessary “so that to be able to underwrite and undertake this very important development.”
The government, he said, is already working on developing highly skilled engineers and strengthening research and innovation to support Kenya’s long-term development plans, noting, “We are on course developing the past 1000 engineers, very high level engineers.”
He said Kenya has made a deliberate and strategic decision to transform the economy through increased energy production and industrial growth, adding that integrating nuclear energy into the national grid would provide a stable long-term solution to rising electricity demand.
“The integration of nuclear energy into our National Grid therefore represents a strategic transition towards securing a stable, long term solution for Kenya's rising electricity demand,” he said, noting that nuclear plants have an operational lifespan of between 60 and 80 years.
He acknowledged that insufficient electricity supply has previously affected industrial growth in some parts of the country, citing a recent visit to Homa Bay County where factories had relocated due to inadequate power supply.
“It tells us there is a lot of constraints in our economy because of insufficient energy supply, and that is the reason why we are making this strategic decision that we want to triple our energy supply in Kenya,” he said.
He added that nuclear power would help reduce electricity costs and make Kenya more economically competitive, saying, “We are paying an average of nine US cents, we can significantly reduce that to between four and five US cents, and make our economy competitive.”
He said Kenya aims to generate 10,000 megawatts of electricity and will also increase power generation through other sources before nuclear energy becomes operational.
“We have to generate 10,000 megawatts. We don't have an option,” he said.
He also called for public awareness and engagement to address misinformation about nuclear energy projects, particularly in areas expected to host future nuclear facilities, including Siaya County, the proposed site of Kenya’s first nuclear power plant.
“To the people of Siaya County, the site of Kenya's first nuclear power plant, I encourage you to seek a deeper understanding of the immense economic benefits that this project will bring,” he said.
According to the government, the nuclear power project will create thousands of jobs during construction and hundreds of permanent technical jobs once operational.
“During the peak construction phase, the nuclear project will generate up to 10,000 jobs. Once operational, it will provide hundreds of permanent, well paying technical positions,” he said.
Kenya’s nuclear power programme began in 2010 when the government created the Nuclear Electricity Board, later renamed the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency, to develop nuclear energy infrastructure and research, with the aim of diversifying Kenya’s energy sources beyond hydro, geothermal and wind power.
Initially, the first nuclear plant was planned for Kilifi County, but the project was later relocated to Siaya County following environmental concerns and local opposition at the coast.
Site identification then began in Siaya, particularly in Bondo and Rarieda areas near Lake Victoria due to the large water requirements for cooling nuclear reactors.
Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the plant projected to start generating electricity by 2034, producing between 1,000 and 2,000 megawatts of electricity in the first phase to support industrial growth and economic expansion.
He said nuclear energy would be a major turning point for the country, stating, “Nuclear energy will be a true game changer for Kenya. It will sustainably and safely power our industries, accelerate our development and propel us firmly on the path to a fast world economy.”