Written By Lisa Murimi
Russia and South Korea have entered into an agreement with Uganda to construct two nuclear power stations, set to generate a combined 15,600 megawatts of electricity.
While one unit will produce 7,000MW and the other 8,400MW, specifics regarding project timelines and funding remain undisclosed.
President Museveni revealed this development during a recent coffee summit, highlighting the potential for nuclear energy utilization.
“We have agreed with the Russia and South Korea to build two uranium power stations for electricity,” President Museveni said at a coffee summit on Tuesday. This isn’t the first mention of a nuclear station in Uganda; in 2016, the Russian-owned Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation had signed a deal for a similar project, which didn’t materialize.
Uganda currently struggles with financing hydro dams that are comparatively more affordable than nuclear stations. With a current power generation capacity of 1402MW, Uganda seeks to expand its energy portfolio and even explore power exports.
Museveni noted the presence of uranium deposits, a vital nuclear energy source, in the country. While foreign entities proposed uranium mining for export, Museveni emphasized the importance of local processing to retain value and create job opportunities.
“A western company proposed to mine uranium. I asked them, ‘mine it and take it where?’ They said export it. I asked export it for what purpose? They told me, ‘We want to take uranium’,” President Museveni said. He further said the company executives didn’t return.
Furthermore, President Museveni’s recent directives prohibit the export of raw materials like iron ore and timber, favoring in-country processing and value addition.
“I told them that to process the iron from here,” he said. This holistic approach aligns with his vision of local economic growth and sustainability.
