Nuclear power easiest route to development

What is the best energy mix to support Kenya’s efforts at creating jobs? This is an important question in light of recent media reports that the government may postpone its plans to build a nuclear power plant by nine years to 2036.

A reliable source of energy is critical to the development of Kenya’s manufacturing and job-creation envisaged by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Without access to energy, it will not be possible to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals established by the country’s economic blueprint, Kenya Vision 2030.

Although renewable energy sources are necessary to meet peak demand for electricity, the fact that they depend on weather conditions makes them insufficient to ensure baseload electricity supply.

In this respect, therefore, nuclear energy is the most viable option. Unfortunately, the national conversation and narrative around nuclear power has been tainted with inaccuracies driven by emotions rather than fact.

ANTI-NUCLEAR LOBBYISTS

To be fair to our youth, anti-nuclear lobbyists and their “researchers” need to consider real world scenarios.

Kenya’s Nuclear Power Programme will foster a much-needed supplier development pipeline and encourage a wider development of artisanal skills such as coded welders, boilermakers, plant operators, carpenters, electricians and pipefitters, which are all skills currently lacking in the country.

Included is the development of high-level skills such as scientists, engineers and project managers – thus helping address the youth unemployment crisis and help create broader small-to-medium enterprises and services, in both the private and public sectors.

And all this before mentioning the immense multiplier effect that will be created through localisation requirements, which will ensure sustainable careers as well as develop new local high-tech enterprises.

JOB CREATION

Higher levels of localisation in the construction phase will also have positive knock-on effects, including specialised job creation in the following phases of the programme which spans roughly 60-80 years. One also needs to consider the incredibly high quality of the workmanship needed in the nuclear industry.

Development of these skills requires at least two years of on-the-job training and mentoring by master craftsmen with decades of experience.

A combination of knowledge, skills and attitudes in a field which, when acquired, allows a person to perform a specific job or task to the identified standards.

The Kenya Nuclear Electricity Board (KNEB) is currently undertaking siting studies to identify suitable potential sites for nuclear power development in Kenya as well as a Strategic Environmental Assessment of Kenya’s nuclear power programme.

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

This is running in tandem with the development of a human resource development plan identifying the skills and competencies required, training needs and optimisation.

Government needs to consider the social development as a priority while defining the national energy mix and focus on strategic industries such as the nuclear industry to bolster a globally competitive position and further address the high unemployment rate amongst the youth.

Mr Chesori is a nuclear expert serving as the Secretary-General for African Young Generation in Nuclear