Opinion
As Africa eyes nuclear energy to meet growing energy demands – is continent ready to handle related risks?
World’s reactors
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) there were 437 nuclear units in operation in the world as of October 19, while 64 were under construction.
In the European Union, 15 of 27 member states have nuclear power plants with a total of 132 producing around 30 percent of the electricity in the region.
Currently, two reactors are under construction in Slovakia and one each in Finland and France.
In Africa, only South Africa has two nuclear power stations (and is considering the construction of an additional three more), but already, 21 countries are members of the IAEA
They are Algeria, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Libya and Madagascar. The others are Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, United Arab Republic and Uganda.
Several African countries including Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana and Kenya are at different stages of nuclear development.
In Kenya for example, a Nuclear Energy Project Committee was established on November 19, 2010. The Energy Act, No.12 of 2006 that is currently under review, includes “nuclear power” within its definition of “energy.”
