FISSILEAMBITION

South Korea wantsslice of Africa’s nuclearmarket

AsAfricancountriesfirmuptheirnuclearambitions, KoreaHydro&NuclearPower(KHNP)iscomingfora shareofthecontinent’semergingmarket

By MUSINGUZIBLANSHE inKampala

Africa’s ongoingindustrialisationandelectricity deficitmake nuclear power inevitable, given skyrocketing demand.The World Bank estimates thatatthecurrent electrification rates, over half a billionpeople insub-Saharan Africawill stillbewithout electricity in 2030 produces 1400MW, itsAPR 1000, which generates 1000MW, as wellasits SmallModular Reactor (SMR).Ugandahasshowninterest inthe APR 1000 model,Chaseop tells The Africa Report

Africa’s nuclear power agenda has so far beenshaped andfunded by globalsuperpowerssuchas the US, Chinaand Russia, raising fearsthat it could turnouttobe an extensionof a global political schismasRussia’s war with Ukraineentersitssecond year.

Ready, steady…

About a dozen Africancountries have shownfirminterest in developingnuclear energy Ghana, Kenya,Morocco,Niger, Nigeria andSudanhave engaged with theInternational Atomic Energy Agency toassesstheir readinessto embarkon a nuclear programme. Algeria, Tunisia,Ugandaand Zambiaare alsostudying thepossibilityofnuclearpower.

theentire context,” says Daniel Kiptoo, director generalatthe Energy Regulatory Commission of Kenya,the stateagency mandated withpower pricing for thestateutility

Kenya Power is frustrate d at beingtheonlyonetoshoulder the costsandrisks associate d with power distribution,whichtakes a toll on itsbottomline. Itsfinance s were de alt a majorblow by a 15% tariffcut ordere d byformer PresidentUhuru Kenyatta.

Manufacturersand industries contributemore thanhalfof Kenya Power’s revenue, de spite comprisingonlyabout 10%ofits customerbase. “If you re duce one here,youle avea hole somewhere else. Sothequestionis, wheredo we plugthathole?If were duce for manufacturers, are we willingto increase for domestic consumers orstreetlights?”asks Kiptoo.

South Korea, one ofthefive countries inthe world thatcan exportnuclear power, is keen to stake a claim fora share ofthe continent’s market.

At the Africa Nuclear Business Platformin Kampala on14March, South Korea hadthelargest delegationandits expo tent was the biggest. Korea Hydro& Nuclear Power (KHNP)signed a memorandumofunderstanding (MoU)with Uganda,which hasan ambition of producingnuclear energy by 2030.

ThoughtheMoUisnonbinding, ChaseopKim,KHNP ’s generalmanager for overseas business development, tells The Africa Report thatitis vital sinceitwillunlockcooperation channels:“We are focusing on human-resourcemanagement becausebuilding a nuclear power plant requires well-trained human resources.”

South Korea was promotingits standard design Advanced Nuclear Power Reactor(APR)1400, which

South Africa istheonlycountry inAfricawith a nuclear power plant Egypt is currentlyconstructing a nuclear plant worth$25bn, financed by a Russian loan.The 4.8GW project, whoseconstructionbegan inJulylast year, is being developed by theRussian stateenergycorporation Rosatom.

Last year, Ghanasaid it was in thefinalstages ofannouncing a site fora nuclear power plant, whattechnologywillbeused and thecontractorwhowillbuild it.

ThoughAfricancountries have shownambitions, funding for nuclear power technology remains a key obstacle for the continent, accordingtoIbrahimAbabou, head ofAfrica andMiddle Eastat theNuclear Business Platform.

Ababouargues thattheinternationalcommunityneeds topush financialinstitutionstoprovide financing for nuclear power, given that many internationalbanks will not financeitatall. “That is harming thesector,” he says.