Nuclearliness

I recall watching the movie Thor in 2011, which is based on an old Scandinavian mythology brought to life on the silver screen not as a god as the ancient Scandinavian claimed but as another human like being from another universe. He was trusted with a powerful relic, the hammer Mjolnir by his father Odin, King of Asgard. The hammer was said to have no equal and that it can be used as a weapon to destroy or as a tool to build. I can relate this to nuclear technology. Ever since its discovery, it has been used more as a weapon and to instill fear where the technology gave birth to the first nuclear weapon that practically turned the tides of the second world war. The builders visioned as a means to end the war, however spawned the fear amongst people. Nuclear Technology on the other side has had some positive effect as it has also been harnessed to provide sustainable, consistent and clean energy compared to oil, coal and gas. During the Nairobi International Trade Fair of 2014,Kenya Nuclear Electricity Board participated and came out of the shadows to show what the organization was all about. My colleagues and I were at the stand from the beginning to the end of the event and it was an illuminating experience. During the event it came to me that a lot of people do not know about nuclear technology and the benefits it will bring to Kenya, most people came with negative thoughts of how dangerous it will be, how we will be on the radar of the most powerful nations. Another truth is that people are used to the negative aspect and criticize however when it gets to provide a solution, nobody has a solid one to give. A lot of people had fears that it will be an expensive venture and the taxpayers will pay more but not looking at the other side of the coin on the significant gains nuclear technology will give to the people of Kenya. Be reminded that the so called G8 nations depend on the use of nuclear technology for sustaining their economy. A good example is the Republic of France whose 75% of their energy generation comes from nuclear power, though plans are to reduce it to 50% by 2025 to pave way for other sources of energy production. South Korea had a smaller economy like ours in the 1960's and there was a time Kenya provided financial aid to them during that time, now they are 20 times larger than our economy. In addition to this, they are currently our advisers and main consultants in the development of nuclear electricity generation. Kenya needs nuclear power to realize its economic potential and to roll with the big boys. It is in the heart of every Kenyan, in any place they are in this world, to see the country prosper and be proud to say that he or she can trace their roots there, just like the English, French and the Americans. One of the major pillars of Kenya's vision 2030 is energy and that is why Kenya Nuclear Electricity Board is in existence. To build the capacity and to dispel the paranoia and fear that has been fed to the minds of people from some acclaimed writers, newspapers and any other source of information that accentuates the negativity of nuclear technology. KNEB is currently the fulcrum of Nuclearliness, the intangible stuff that makes us do what we want to do and that is to show that Kenya needs nuclear technology, not just for nuclear electricity but for the future of this nation. We want to show people that the careers in the nuclear energy goes beyond a nuclear power plant and the board as it is key to opening countless discoveries waiting to be discovered, not just the current generation but the next generation. By Machel Awili.

IAEA SUPPORTING KENYA TO BUILD ITS NUCLEAR POWER INDRASTRUCTURE.

IAEA Supports the Building of Nuclear Power Infrastructures



Building sustainable nuclear power infrastructure was the focus of
presentations by delegates from newcomer countries, Kenya, Malaysia and
Turkey, at a side event held on 24 September 2014 on the margins of the
annual IAEA General Conference.



The speakers from these three countries shared their experiences on
how to tailor and make best use of the IAEA's services to support the
development of their national nuclear power infrastructures. Kenya,
Malaysia and Turkey are at different stages of developing their national
nuclear power infrastructure.



IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear
Energy, Alexander Bychkov, highlighted the Agency's on-going commitment
to Member States embarking on a new nuclear power programme or expanding
an existing programme. Understanding and learning from the practical
experience of how these countries are coordinating IAEA support with
national priorities and other bilateral cooperation would provide useful
insights, said Deputy Director General Bychkov.



Chairing the event, Jong Kyun Park, Director of the IAEA Division of
Nuclear Power, said that this event would contribute to a better
understanding of the progress and challenges faced by newcomer
countries, which in turn would enhance the required international
support and coordination.





Kenya





In describing Kenya's reasons to embark in the direction of nuclear
energy, the Executive Chairman and CEO of Kenya's Nuclear Electricity
Board, George Ochilo Ayacko Mbogo, noted the growing energy demands of
Kenya's population of 40 million people. This demand, he said, could not
be met or sustained with the current installed electricity capacity of
approximately 2000 MW that is predominantly sourced from hydro and
fossil fuel (thermal) sources.



A pre-feasibility study for embarking on a nuclear power programme,
prepared with support from the IAEA, is providing Kenya with the
information it needs to make a "knowledgeable decision" about the
implementation of a nuclear power programme, Mr Mbogo emphasized. At the
same time, Kenya is also pursuing human resources development;
establishing a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework; reaching
out to the public and other stakeholders; and considering potential
funding and financing options. Kenya, in addition, has requested the
IAEA to conduct an Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR)
mission in August 2015. Other Member States supporting this programme
are the United States, China, the Republic of Korea and Slovakia, said
Mr Mbogo.





Malaysia





As part of its Economic Transformation Programme, Malaysia is
exploring the nuclear energy option to meet future electricity demands
and diversify its energy mix for Peninsula Malaysia. Mohamad Mohd Ali,
from the Malaysian Ministry of Science and Technology, spoke on how his
country was optimizing IAEA and international cooperation for a new
nuclear power project, although the country has not yet made a final
decision.



This included: information on the development of a legal regulatory
framework; steps being taken to gain public confidence and approval of
Malaysia's nuclear power programme; the role of the IAEA in providing
the necessary technical and scientific support for exploring nuclear
energy options; and how this cooperation along with other international
partners are vital to ensure that a new nuclear power programme would
implement all the mandatory international statutory requirements and
regulations.





Turkey





Providing a look into Turkey's efforts in introducing nuclear energy,
Necati Yamac, Head of Turkey's Nuclear Energy Project Implementing
Department, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, described the
model chosen for the country's first nuclear power plant (NPP) project.
In May 2010, Russia and Turkey signed an intergovernmental agreement
(IGA) to develop a Build-Own-Operate (BOO) project at the Akkuyu site
consisting of four units. Construction is expected to start in 2017. Mr
Yamac highlighted advantages and challenges of the model chosen.



Mr Yamac explained Turkey's need for nuclear power, based on the
country's increasing electricity demand and the desire to reduce energy
dependency from imports currently standing above 70 percent. He stressed
the importance of the role of the Turkish government in supporting the
infrastructure for the BOO project. Turkey chose the BOO model because
it places the responsibility for financing and financial risk management
on the experienced side - the Russian party.



The project is also expected to attract significant foreign
investment to Turkey. Finally, the model allows a newcomer country like
Turkey to benefit from the experience of partners in the Russian
Federation that have been building and operating nuclear power plants
for decades. Mr Yamac finally stressed the role of the Turkish national
regulatory body for nuclear safety to regulate and inspect the plant and
the fact that this role is carried out irrespective on whether the
power plant owner shareholders are foreign or local.





Update of IAEA Milestones Document



The meeting closed with an update on the IAEA's revision of the widely referenced IAEA publication: Milestones in the Development of a National Infrastructure for Nuclear Power (IAEA Nuclear Energy Series NG-G-3.1).
Anne Starz, Acting Section Head of the IAEA Nuclear Infrastructure
Development Section, explained the rationale, the revision process and
the main changes introduced. The two year revision process, which
started in 2012, included a comprehensive internal and external review,
with over 600 written comments received from Member States.



The Milestones document remains the top level guidance for
countries introducing nuclear power, said Ms Starz. She also emphasized
that the revision is consistent with the original text to ensure it
continues to be widely used, and reflects lessons learned from the
Fukushima accident and recent newcomers' experience. The updated version
of the Milestones document will be published by early 2015.



All the presentations made at this side event can be found here.








-- By Aabha Dixit, IAEA Office of Public Information and Communication





(Note to Media: We encourage you to republish these stories and kindly request attribution to the IAEA)

KENYA CANNOT MEET ENERGY DEMAND WITHOUT NUCLEAR POWER.

2 Oct (NucNet): The growing energy demands of Kenya’s 40 million population cannot be met or sustained without the addition of nuclear energy, the executive chairman and chief executive officer of Kenya’s Nuclear Electricity Board has said. George Mbogo told an International Atomic Energy Agency conference on nuclear power infrastructure that Kenya’s current installed electricity capacity of approximately 2,000 megawatts is predominantly sourced from hydro and fossil fuel sources. He said a pre-feasibility study for embarking on a nuclear power programme, prepared with support from the IAEA, is providing Kenya with the information it needs to make a “knowledgeable decision” about the implementation of nuclear. Mr Mgobo said Kenya is establishing a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework for its planned nuclear programme, and considering potential funding and financing options. The IAEA said it has been asked to carry out an Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) mission to Kenya in August 2015. INIR missions, which are voluntary, review the infrastructure status of a potential nuclear nation through interviews, site visits and document reviews, providing suggestions and recommendations in a report. Last year the IAEA called on Kenya to establish a robust and independent nuclear regulator as part of its plans to build its first nuclear power plant. During a visit to the African nation, IAEA director-general Yukiya Amano said Kenya is planning to introduce nuclear power in the next decade and the agency would continue to work closely with the Kenyan authorities to help establish a nuclear power programme that would be safe, secure and sustainable. Malaysia told the conference that it is exploring the nuclear energy option to meet future electricity demands and diversify its energy mix as part of its Economic Transformation Programme. Mohamad Mohd Ali, from the Malaysian Ministry of Science and Technology, said Malaysia was “optimising IAEA and international cooperation” for a new nuclear power project, although the country has not yet made a final decision. Follow NucNet on Twitter @nucnetnews Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/nucnet Find us on LinkedIn: NucNet To contact the editor responsible for this story David Dalton at david.dalton@nucnet.org Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers): IAEA Urges Kenya To Establish ‘Robust And Independent’ Regulator (World Nuclear Review No.51, 27 December 2013) Source: NucNet Editor: David Dalton © NucNet a.s.b.l Brussels, Belgium

A LESSON FROM KOREA'S SUCCESS IN NUCLEAR ENERGY.

AFRICA LOOKS TO TURN ON NUCLEAR POWER.

http://www.voanews.com/content/kenya-pursuing-nuclear-power-despite-the-risks/1880247.html http://www.voanews.com/content/africa-looks-to-nuclear-power-to-light-up-continent/1880377.html South Africa is expanding its nuclear power capacity while Kenya, Nigeria and other African countries are swiftly developing their nuclear power programmes. But, some parts of the world hold the notion that Africa’s capability to turn on nuclear power is limited attributing it to high investment costs to put up nuclear power plants, inadequacy to manage nuclear spent fuel and radiation risks among others. Developing nations borrow a lot from the developed world and this influences the development paths they follow. Nuclear power being a unique development cause, newcomer countries tend to borrow from both successful and unsuccessful countries which have pursued it. No single country has had a smooth nuclear power programme and Kenya’s pursuit of nuclear technology for electricity generation is expected to attract doubts from critics who will also measure its capacity to develop nuclear power against the nuclear success or failure of developed nations. For instance, critics feel that if Germany has decided to phase out nuclear power, Kenya cannot pull through. Nevertheless, the same critics know very well that fossil fuels and ‘traditional’ sources of electricity cannot satisfy the growing domestic and industrial demands for energy.

Kenya's Energy needs: Nuclear power plans still on track

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Happy new year members of the Kenya Nuclear Electricity Board's (Nuclear Kenya) fan pages,

Hope we will continue to share our thoughts, opinionated views and experiences and learn from each other so that we can improve our knowledge, our attitudes and our views about nuclear power. I believe that bringing together a diversity of minds even in a platform like this forum, goes a long way to move us forward towards understanding what nuclear energy as a whole entails as well as why, when and how our country intends to introduce this source of power. 

South Africa has been using nuclear power for quite a while now since 1984 when its first commercial plant began operation and it also intends to add about 9,600MW of electricity from nuclear plants into its grid by 2030. Many other countries in the continent such as Egypt, Nigeria, Morocco, Ghana etc are considering adding nuclear power into their energy mixes. Kenya is among African countries that have considered introducing this nuclear power for electricity generation. 

We are all partners in ensuring a better tomorrow for ourselves and generations to come. The Kenya Nuclear Electricity Board was set up to take the country through the road-map of realizing nuclear electricity generation. Let us unite in a bid to support Kenya's Nuclear Power Programme for peaceful uses of nuclear power. It can only be possible to look forward to a better and all round development of our economy only if we put in place a vibrant energy sector which plays a major role in a country's economic development. 

Everything good is worth taking the challenge and giving a sacrifice; even the developed world in the nuclear industry like the U.S, China, France etc did not begin smoothly but eventually the user countries of nuclear power can tell the contribution of reliable and stable power in their economies. 

May this year bring us prosperity as we explore this cause and many others.

Happy New Year!