Russia, South Korea to build nuclear power plants in Uganda

By Godfrey Olukya

KAMPALA, Uganda (AA) - Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni announced Tuesday that Russia and South Korea will soon start building nuclear power plants in the country.

Addressing the 2nd G-25 Africa Coffee Summit, which is being attended by leaders and delegates from 25 African coffee-producing nations at Speke Resort Hotel in Munyonyo in the capital Kampala, Museveni said negotiations with Russia and South Korea had already been completed.

“Russia and South Korea are going to build two nuclear power plants of 15,000 megawatts. The nuclear project comes at a critical time when nations are dealing with how to ensure energy security for socio-economic development,” he said.

Recently, Museveni said while addressing the nation that Uganda has abundant hydropower resources distributed in different parts of the country, but there is a need for more partnerships to explore the new technologies in the sector, hence the need to develop nuclear power. He also noted that the changing weather patterns meant that hydropower is no longer very reliable.

During the Russia-Africa summit last month in St. Petersburg, Uganda and Russia reportedly signed a deal on a nuclear power plant project.

Research carried out a few years ago by Uganda’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development confirmed that the country has the potential to start producing nuclear power after the discovery of large deposits of uranium in its eastern region.