UGANDA is not rushing to build a nuclear power plant, it has been announced.
Sources privy to the matter said the country will wait until its human resource capacity, legal and regulatory framework as well as the financial obligations are strengthened.
“There is no competence in the country to handle nuclear power project and we cannot build this overnight,” the sources added.
The announcement comes at a time when IBI, a junior mining company from Canada, is pushing for the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Government for a nuclear power development in Uganda.
The mining firm claims that among the technologies investigated, there are systems that could reduce construction from the typical time frame of ten years by less than five.
“These identified technologies are also cost-effective and have less potential security risk than typical competing technologies,” IBI claimed in its Issue update on uranium/nuclear programme for Uganda report.
“A number of potential partnering participants, including possible partnering countries, have been identified that could become involved in building the infrastructure for a nuclear power programme for Uganda,” the report added.
However, according to sources, from the information gatherd, “IBI has no experience in nuclear power project.”
“They have never operated any uranium mine or attempted to build a nuclear power plant anywhere in the world,”the sources told The New Vision.
In the meantime, the Nuclear energy unit at the Ministry of energy is preparing a draft strategy for nuclear power development in Uganda for 2010-2020.
The draft strategy recognises that to commission the first nuclear power plant in Uganda, the Government needs to adopt a three-phased approach in order to ensure implementation of the first nuclear power plant project.
The three programme phases of development include: decision making and preparation, preparatory work for the construction of a power plant after a policy decision has been taken and activities to implement a nuclear plant.
The decision-making and preparation phase entails human resource development process, strengthening the legislative and regulatory framework, stakeholders’ involvement and public acceptance campaign.
Some of the factors to be considered include, deciding upon the financial and operational modalities for the ownership and implementation of a nuclear power plan, establishing the long term financial arrangements for decommissioning and radioactive waste management as well as the associated liabilities.
