{"id":56663,"date":"2024-11-15T12:04:59","date_gmt":"2024-11-15T12:04:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/?p=56663"},"modified":"2024-11-15T12:05:11","modified_gmt":"2024-11-15T12:05:11","slug":"kenyas-nuclear-gamble-risking-billions-and-biodiversity-for-power-we-dont-need","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/blog\/56663\/kenyas-nuclear-gamble-risking-billions-and-biodiversity-for-power-we-dont-need\/","title":{"rendered":"Kenya\u2019s Nuclear Gamble: Risking Billions and Biodiversity for Power We Don\u2019t Need"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
Photo by Kyle\u00a0 Miller<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Kenya is sprinting toward a $5 billion nuclear project as if it\u2019s the panacea for its energy needs\u2014ignoring the wealth of sustainable, renewable resources we possess. The Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) is pushing to get environmental approval from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), yet crucial details about the project’s significant shortcomings remain shrouded in secrecy. Meanwhile, a team from the Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) has been brought in to assess this future-defining project, leaving Kenyans to wonder: why rely on foreign expertise for such a crucial decision?<\/p>\n\n

The plan? A 1,000 MW nuclear plant near Kilifi, ready to break ground by 2027, with promises of operation by 2034\u2014all part of the Kenya National Electrification Strategy aiming for universal power access by 2030. But here\u2019s the kicker: Kenya already sources over 90% of its electricity from renewables. Geothermal steam, hydro dams, wind, and solar energy have powered us sustainably and cleanly, right from our own natural bounty. So, why abandon what works?<\/p>\n\n

Nuclear plants are notoriously costly, with timelines and budgets that often swell well beyond promises. By the time this plant could be operational\u2014if ever\u2014solar and wind technologies will only have become cheaper and more efficient. At this rate, Kenya is spending years and billions on a high-risk solution, despite the fact that we already possess a proven, affordable and more sustainable alternative.<\/p>\n\n

South Africa, with its Koeberg nuclear plant and larger industrial base, recently delayed nuclear procurement<\/a> to allow for more public input and planning. Shouldn\u2019t Kenya, with its renewable potential, exercise similar caution?<\/p>\n\n

Beyond cost, NuPEA\u2019s nuclear ambitions could harm Kilifi\u2019s thriving coastal environment which is home to rich biodiversity, coral reefs, mangroves, and endangered species. The lack of public engagement has raised concerns among Kilifi residents, who have already flagged it in court. South Africa\u2019s experience shows the value of transparency and planning, yet Kenya\u2019s government seems focused on pushing forward rather than weighing alternatives or consulting the public.<\/p>\n\n

Let\u2019s not ignore the radioactive elephant in the room: nuclear waste. It\u2019s dangerous, it\u2019s persistent, and it\u2019s not going anywhere for thousands of years. NuPEA, however, has no waste management policy or even a hint of a long-term storage plan. The agency\u2019s confidence in its ability to handle nuclear waste is alarming, considering that seasoned nations like the U.S. and Germany continue to grapple with the challenges of safe and secure disposal.<\/p>\n\n

Amos Wemanya, Greenpeace Africa\u2019s Responsive Campaigns Lead, states: \u201cNuclear power centralizes power production, expertise, and money. It takes power away from communities. Kenya should fully invest in renewables like wind and solar, putting every resource toward these rather than outdated energy sources. The government must marshal resources to build resilience for front-line communities, using decentralized energy systems.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Despite the red flags, NuPEA is pressing forward. They call it a \u201crobust\u201d strategy, citing the review processes by NEMA and NCEA. Yet Kenya\u2019s own experts, including the Kenya Anti-Nuclear Alliance, remind us of a crucial truth\u2014our achievements with renewable energy sources are not only safer but also cost-effective  and sustainable.<\/p>\n\n

Instead of betting on a high-cost, high-risk project, why not invest in the renewables that have already powered us so well? Kenya\u2019s future is bright\u2014driven by resources that don\u2019t endanger our land, coastlines, or communities. For a nation celebrated for its natural beauty, we should tread carefully, keeping nuclear power in the margins\u2014not at the forefront\u2014of our energy plans.<\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Let\u2019s not ignore the radioactive elephant in the room: nuclear waste. It\u2019s dangerous, it\u2019s persistent, and it\u2019s not going anywhere for thousands of years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":56664,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"p4_og_title":"Blog: Kenya\u2019s Nuclear Gamble: Risking Billions and Biodiversity for Power We Don\u2019t Need","p4_og_description":"Read an opinion piece written by Sherie Gakii.","p4_og_image":"","p4_og_image_id":"","p4_seo_canonical_url":"","p4_campaign_name":"not set","p4_local_project":"","p4_basket_name":"not set","p4_department":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[64,26,46,65],"p4-page-type":[126],"class_list":["post-56663","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-protecttheenvironment","tag-kenya","tag-energy","tag-greenpeaceafrica","tag-southafrica","p4-page-type-blog"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56663","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56663"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56663\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56666,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56663\/revisions\/56666"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56664"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56663"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56663"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56663"},{"taxonomy":"p4-page-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/p4-page-type?post=56663"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}