Nairobi, Kenya – Kenya has set its sights on an ambitious energy milestone: generating 20,000 megawatts of nuclear power by the year 2040. The plan, revealed by the Ministry of Energy on September 2, would mark a dramatic leap from the country’s current electricity capacity (just under 3,000MW from all sources) and position Kenya as a continental leader in nuclear energy. Officials say the nuclear roadmap will complement Kenya’s rich renewable resources – including geothermal, wind and hydro – while reducing dependence on costly diesel power plants. The Kenya Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) is spearheading the program and working closely with international partners like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to ensure the highest safety and environmental standards.

Under the phased strategy, Kenya aims to commission its first nuclear power plant in the early 2030s and steadily scale up output toward the 2040 goal. The nuclear push is driven by projections that future electricity demand will far outstrip what renewables alone can supply, especially as the population grows and industries like manufacturing and electric mobility expand. “Nuclear energy could be a game changer for our industrialization,” an official noted, pointing to the need for reliable baseload power to underpin economic growth. The plan aligns with Kenya’s climate commitments as well: by shifting gradually from fossil fuel generators to zero-carbon nuclear reactors, the country would cut emissions and meet its Paris Agreement targets.

Analysts caution that turning the nuclear vision into reality will require surmounting major hurdles. The upfront capital costs for reactors are enormous, and Kenya will need to train a new cadre of nuclear scientists, engineers and regulators. Public skepticism is also a factor – the government plans to roll out education campaigns to build support and understanding of nuclear technology. Still, if successful, Kenya would become only the second sub-Saharan African nation (after South Africa) to produce nuclear power. Energy experts say achieving even part of the 20,000MW goal would be transformative, potentially making Kenya an electricity exporter in East Africa and providing the power needed to propel the country into upper-middle income status by the 2040s.