Nuclear power team seeks an additional Sh300m per year

Nuclear committee chairman, Mr Ochilo Ayako

What you need to know:

  • Funds to go into training colleges to support students training in the courses

The team mandated to develop the country’s nuclear power plant is seeking an additional Sh300 million every year in budgetary allocation, to fund staff training.

This will bring the amount allocated annually to the Nuclear Electricity Project Committee to Sh500 million.

The committee has a secretariat of 42 staff, and is in the process of increasing the number to 53.

The Government expects to have an operational nuclear power plant to provide 1,700MW by 2022.

“The additional funds will go into various training institutions like University of Nairobi to increase scholarships for those to be trained in various aspects of operating nuclear plants,” the Nuclear committee chairman, Mr Ochilo Ayako, told the Parliamentary Committee on Energy, Transport and Communications on Thursday.

The MPs had summoned the nuclear committee to interrogate them on their workings, funding, and safety in light of the developed countries shifting to other sources of energy.

Mr Ayako said there are already 15 masters degree students at University of Nairobi and another six undertaking advanced nuclear-related studies at Korea International Nuclear Graduate School, South Korea in partnership with the government at a cost of Sh140 million.

Last month, the government also entered an agreement jointly with the International Atomic Energy Agency to fund a 2.3 million euros (Sh252 million) training programme for the required experts.

Mr Ayako said the government will also have to increase the funding in the lead up to the construction, and seek ways to raise about $5 billion ( about Sh415 billion) for the construction.

The legislators, however, said the Nuclear committee had to communicate regularly on progress of its work to remove suspicions over implementation of the project.