Kenya's Sh500 billion nuclear plan faces tough questions on cost and site

Kenya’s proposed Sh500 billion nuclear power plan is advancing toward a first 1,000-megawatt plant targeted for Siaya County in the Lake Victoria basin, but critics say the timeline, financing and site choice remain unresolved. The Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) describes the project as an initial phase before later scaling up, with a longer-term roadmap aiming at about 4,000 MW by 2033—deadlines that have repeatedly slipped. NuPEA CEO Prof. Justus Wabuyabo argues nuclear would provide baseload power for industrialisation and help reduce outages. Yet concerns include debt risk, water-use conflicts and waste-disposal gaps, while reporting on the site has varied between Siaya and locations such as Kilifi or Tana River.