NUCLEAR ENERGY

DEBATE BY

CATHERINE K. KIANJI, LL.B (UoN), DIP. LAW (KSL), LIMIS (UK), DPM (KIM)

SENIOR LEGAL OFFICER

KENYA NUCLEAR ELECTRICITY BOARD (KNEB)

MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND PETROLEUM

11th September 2013

Overview

•Introduction

•Global perspective of nuclear energy

•Drivers of nuclear power in the world

•Status of Kenya nuclear energy programme

•Key issues in nuclear energy

•Future of nuclear energy

Introduction

Nuclear energy is produced through a chain reaction of uranium or other suitable nucleus fission

• Nuclear Fission

• Most fundamental consideration in nuclear

energy is ‘nuclear safety’.

Diagram of Pressurized Water Reactor

Source: McGraw –Hill Companies

Nuclear Energy: Global Perspective.

Source: IAEA

Nuclear Energy: Country share of

electricity generation (as of 31 Dec. 2012)

Source: Nuclear Power Reactor in the World - IAEA , Vienna, 2013 ( modified by author )

Drivers of nuclear energy in the World

•Continued growth in global energy demand

•Energy security

•Price volatility

•Environment protection and climate change

•Nuclear power:

Improved operations

Good economics

Good safety record starting in the early 1990s

Energy Source equivalents

Energy source : New power generation

and investment

• Growth in energy demand

• Energy security

• Price volatility

• Environment protection and climate

• Proven and safe technology

Why nuclear energy in Kenya?

Provision of adequate capacity for an ambitious economic development

programme (Kenya Vision 2030) - (ICT Park , Second container terminal and a

free port at the Mombasa port , Standard gauge railway(Juba-Lamu), Lamu port,

Special Economic Zones , Iron and Steel smelting industry in Meru area ,

Standard Gauge railway(Mombasa- Nairobi-Malaba, Kisumu), Light rail for

Nairobi and suburbs , Resort cities (Isiolo, Kilifi and Ukunda)

To provide stability in power supply ( Base load power)

Provision of efficient and reliable power

Lower cost of power - an economic alternative to fossil fuels

Provide adequate power that is environmentally friendly and clean

Availability of nuclear global peer review and support

Technology is mature and proven

11

0

2 000

4 000

6 000

8 000

10 000

12 000

14 000

16 000

18 0002

01

0

20

11

20

12

20

13

20

14

20

15

20

16

20

17

20

18

20

19

20

20

20

21

20

22

20

23

20

24

20

25

20

26

20

27

20

28

20

29

20

30

20

31

Source: Least Cost Power Development Plan 2011/2031

1st Nuclear Power plant ~

1000MW

Peak: 16,905MW Installed Capacity: 21,620MW

Peak power demand projection for

Kenya (MW)

4 Nuclear plants by 2031, Capacity 4000MW

Projected Power Generation Mix - 2031

Source: Least Cost Power Development Plan 2011/2031

Status of Kenya nuclear energy programme

•Kenya is a member of IAEA since 1965

•Kenya established the Kenya Nuclear Energy Board (KNEB) within the

Ministry of Energy and Petroleum as a Nuclear Energy Programme

Implementation Organization ( NEPIO).

•Prefeasibility Study - on going

•Capacity building through-

Local Corporation - Ministry of Energy and Petroleum and University

of Nairobi - Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology

Masters in Nuclear Science Scholarships

Regional and International corporation - IAEA, Texas A & M University

(USA), KINGS ( Kepco International Graduate School ) South

Korea, AFRA, INIS

• Stakeholder engagement - in progress

• Strategic Plan – in progress

Status of Kenya nuclear energy policy

and Law

National legislative and regulatory framework

1. Draft Energy Policy and Bill

2. Drafting of nuclear energy Policy & Bill - in progress (Inter-ministerial

Committee)

Ratification and domestication of international treaties in the area of

nuclear safety , security , safeguards and liability for nuclear damage

Kenya has ratified all relevant regional and international instruments and is

pursuing ratification of the following:

1. The Convention on Nuclear Safety ( CNS)

2. The Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident

3. The Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or

Radiological Emergency

4. The Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel and on the Safety of

Radioactive Waste Management and

5. Relevant Instruments on Liability for nuclear damage ( i.e. Vienna Nuclear

Liability Regime and the Joint Protocol)

Kenya nuclear energy programme

infrastructure milestone

Source: IAEA, 2007

Key issues in nuclear energy

Kianji.K.G 2012

•Kenya Geotectonic

• Waste management

• Accidents and Leakages

Most fundamental

issue / consideration

in Nuclear power is

“nuclear safety”.

Germany and nuclear energy

n all countries using nuclear energy there are well established procedures for storing,

managing and transporting such wastes, funded from electricity users. Wastes are

contained and managed, not released. Storage is safe and secure, plans are well in

hand for eventual disposal.

WNA info papers:Waste management & nuclear fuel cycle,

Radioactive waste management

Nuclear waste management

debate

Response In all countries using nuclear energy there are well established procedures for storing,

managing and transporting such wastes, funded from electricity users. Wastes are

contained and managed, not released. Storage is safe and secure, plans are well in

hand for eventual disposal. World Nuclear Association

The critics The advocates

• Risks are very high

• Absence of demonstrated

disposal technology after 40+

years proves nuclear is

fundamentally flowed

• Irresponsible to generate more

waste while the problem remains

unresolved

High – level waste is a non-risk …

It is easy to solve technical

problems - only challenge is

solving political problems on waste

disposal

Myth Truth

Many people died as a result

of the Fukushima Daiichi

nuclear accident

There were no direct deaths linked to the power

plant accident. All the deaths were due to the

Tsunami

A nuclear reactor can

explode like a bomb

Its impossible for a reactor to explode like a

nuclear weapon. These weapons contains

Uranium enriched at very high levels compared to

the enrichment of fuel for a Nuclear power plant

People get most of their

radiation dose from Nuclear

power plants

We are surrounded by naturally occurring

radiation. In America only 0.005% of radiation

dose comes from nuclear power.

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear power

accident debate

66 new nuclear projects under construction today, 435 currently in

operation;

26 China

5* U.S.

1 Finland

Source: World Nuclear Association - April 2012

*Watts Bar 2, Summer 2,3 & Vogtle 3,4

10

Russia

2

Japan

1

Brazil

7 3

India South Korea

2

Taiwan 2

Slovakia

1

Argentina 1

France

© 2012 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.

11

Future of nuclear power

References IAEA ( 2007) Milestones in the Development of Nuclear national Infrastructure for

Nuclear power, IAEA Nuclear Energy Series No. NG –G- 3.1.

Kenya country report dated 16 April 2012 presented at the Technical aspects on

feasibility, contracting and construction of a nuclear plant conference from 16th to

27th April 2012, Danjeon, Republic of Korea.

Least Cost Power Development Plan 2011/2031

Chesire Edwin, The role of nuclear power programme in kenya a paper presented

at the sustainable research and innovation conference from 24th-26th April 2013,

JKUAT, Kenya

Kenya Vision 2030 22

Thank You