This announcement was made during a media briefing ahead of the 'Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit for Africa: NESIA 2025', which will be held in Kigali, bringing together experts from 30 countries to discuss harnessing nuclear energy.
Rwanda has been pursuing nuclear energy for nearly seven years with the goal of fostering development. In 2018, the country began collaborating with Russia to establish a research center focused on nuclear energy, which will help increase the nation's electricity production.
In August 2024, Rwanda signed a memorandum of understanding with the American company 'Nano Nuclear Energy Inc.' for the deployment of small modular reactors and microreactors.
A year earlier, the Rwandan government had signed an agreement with Dual Fluid Energy Inc., a company based in Germany and Canada, to test nuclear energy technologies in Rwanda.
The plans focus on constructing small plants using 'Small Modular Reactors' and 'Micro Reactors', which require minimal land, offer high output, and do not pose any significant risks to the population. These facilities will require between 220 and 250 employees across four categories.
By 2024, over 200 Rwandan students and RAEB staff were expected to be sent abroad to gain expertise in nuclear energy.
Dr. Fidel Ndahayo, the CEO of RAEB, said, 'We now have a clear vision where we can say 'we need a plant that can provide this much electricity, and we can place it here or there.''
He further explained that multiple sites had been considered for the plant, but further detailed analysis is needed to assess factors like land suitability, seismic risks, and other environmental considerations.
He added that the chosen technology for the plant would be small reactors capable of producing substantial energy, with a site range of 15 to 50 hectares, located away from residential areas.
"We can still find a 50-hectare site to build the plant, even with high population density," Dr. Ndahayo said.
In an interview with IGIHE, Dr. Ndahayo continued, 'Our goal is to have the plant operational by 2030. We will need 234 workers, and we aim to have them trained by 2028.'
He also mentioned that as many organizations focus on new technologies for harnessing nuclear energy, Rwanda is positioning itself early to ensure its workforce is well-equipped to adopt and market this technology.
Dr. Ndahayo noted that around 30 to 50 experts in nuclear energy have already completed their studies and are now working at RAEB, while another 200 are gaining experience in advanced countries.
Some of these students will graduate next year, with others following in subsequent years.
"We continue to send more students abroad; this year, over 40 students will be sent. We have agreements with countries like Hungary, and we are looking to collaborate with China and South Korea," he said.
He also highlighted ongoing efforts to establish local educational programs. For example, the University of Rwanda has already confirmed the launch of such programs, and similar plans are underway at technical and vocational schools.
Regarding the plant's location, Dr. Ndahayo confirmed that the final site has not yet been decided, as feasibility studies are still ongoing. However, he is confident that suitable land for the plant exists in Rwanda.
Dr. Jimmy Gasore, the Minister of Infrastructure, emphasized that small modular reactors (SMRs) are safer and more aligned with Rwanda's energy needs.
He explained that large plants producing over 1,000 MW are not practical in many parts of Africa. Instead, small plants producing up to 100 MW are more appropriate for Rwanda's capacity.
As the minister, these reactors require less land and are less likely to cause significant environmental risks compared to larger plants.
Rwanda is working closely with various nuclear energy companies to explore technologies, including the nuclear reactor, which is the core component of the energy plant.
The reactor uses uranium to produce heat through nuclear fission, which is then converted into electricity. A single gram of uranium can generate 1 MW of energy per day, which is equivalent to the energy produced by three tons of coal.
As of January 2025, Rwanda had already achieved a capacity of generating 406.4 MW of electricity. With the new nuclear plants, the country aims to significantly increase its energy output.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/rwanda-to-launch-nuclear-electricity-generation-by-2030
