Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi said the planned plant—expected to begin with about 2GW—will be developed jointly with the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA), with capacity expected to scale to 6GW in later phases.
“This marks the beginning of Kenya’s nuclear-power era,” Wandayi said. “Assigning KenGen the owner-operator role anchors the programme in technical capability and public trust.”
The announcement was made during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between KenGen and NuPEA that creates a Joint Engagement Framework to guide public awareness, stakeholder consultation and institutional readiness for nuclear power.
The framework will involve a Joint Working Group tasked with developing a national communication and engagement strategy, identifying stakeholders across counties, running public education campaigns, convening technical forums, and training journalists and county leaders on nuclear fundamentals.
Officials said early-stage siting work will follow established public participation and disclosure.
KenGen board chair Alfred Agoi said the company’s experience running geothermal, hydro, wind and solar assets positions it to manage the proposed nuclear project.
Managing Director and CEO Peter Njenga said nuclear energy would offer Kenya a stable, low-carbon baseload option that supports manufacturing and digital industries.
“This agreement is a step toward strengthening Kenya’s long-term energy security,” he said.
NuPEA CEO Justus Wabuyabo described the partnership as a shift from planning to implementation readiness as Kenya evaluates nuclear power for its future energy mix.
By Frederick Azelwa