Manpower challenges facing nuclear programme

In 2010, I wrote an article expressing support for nuclear power, but cautioned about the unrealistic timelines. My estimation for commissioning the first reactor was around 2030 against the proposed 2022.

The reasons I gave for my projections were lack of human resources, lack of legal and regulatory frameworks, financing, insufficient grid capacity and other support engineering infrastructure.

These problems are surmountable. Human resource in nuclear is critical in different sectors that can be broadly categorised as nuclear radio-isotope, nuclear power generation and academia.

Nuclear radio-isotope covers nuclear medicine, agriculture and non-destructive engineering. Kenya is not new to nuclear medicine and agricultural applications because Kenyatta National Hospital and Kari have long been using them. There is a pool of manpower in this sector.

Power planning and generation covers the Nuclear Energy Programme Implementation Organisation (Nepio), the regulator and operator. The country is new to nuclear power planning and generation where Kenya Nuclear Energy Board is playing the role of Nepio.

There is a big gap because there is no institution that offers nuclear engineering courses. Experts are also limited and most are located outside the country.

Academia is in charge of teaching and research in nuclear fields. The University of Nairobi is the only institution offering Nuclear Science. However, it focuses more on Nuclear Chemistry and Physics, not engineering.

Human resource is a huge challenge in power planning and generation… as well as teaching and research in nuclear engineering. KNEB has hired and sent a number of employees overseas for both Masters and short-term courses.

While recognising the training efforts, detailed planning of human resource requirements should be undertaken.

Kenya needs to train and educate scientists, engineers and other expertise based on the requirements on each phase of nuclear power programme.

Training without immediately absorbing the graduates into employment is worthless.

The nuclear power programme is a very knowledge-intensive undertaking. It is essentially an engineering project because the end-goal is to construct, commission and operate a nuclear power plant.

Technical disciplines, especially engineering and science, should form the largest percentage in the Nepio workforce, the regulator and the operator.

Currently, technical disciplines, especially engineering, are grossly under-represented within nuclear energy board.

For the programme to succeed, the implementing organisations must show a commitment to engaging the right technical disciplines and skills.

Kenya should pursue nuclear power and this can be achieved around 2030. However, proper planning of human resource will be key to its success.

Dr Kariuki works in engineering at a large nuclear utility in Canada.