The Ugandan government plans to produce up to 1,000 MW of power from nuclear sources by 2031 as part of efforts to diversify the country’s energy mix and introduce alternative forms of clean power to the national grid.
Power will be generated at the country’s inaugural nuclear facility, the Buyende Nuclear Power Plant, set to be located at Buyende approximately 150 km north of the capital city Kampala.
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The announcement follows the signing of a contract with Russian state corporation Rosatom in 2017 for the development of nuclear power infrastructure as well as a memorandum of understanding signed with China’s National Nuclear Corporation whereby the parties agreed to cooperate on nuclear power and the building of atomic energy capacity for power-related purposed.
According to Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu, Uganda’s Minister of Energy and Minerals, “Preparation to evaluate the Buyende Nuclear Power Plant site is ongoing to pave the way for the first nuclear power project expected to generate 2,000 MW, with the first 1,000 MW to be connected to the national grid by 2031.”
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Minister Ssentamu added that, “Uganda is making firm steps to integrate nuclear energy into the electricity generation mix to ensure energy security and provide sufficient electricity for industrialization.”
