Kenya is keenly watching the nuclear crisis in Japan for useful lessons, the committee spearheading the country’s nuclear programme said, as nations across the world began rethinking their nuclear plans. Nuclear Electricity Development Project Committee executive chairman Ochilo Ayacko, said Kenya hopes to stay on course but the ongoing international debate and discourse (on the Japan crisis) will inform our decisions on issues like selection of location as well as safety and security requirements.

The committee members were reacting to public concerns over the government’s nuclear plans after the 8.9 magnitude earthquake triggered a tsunami that hit the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, 140 miles north of Tokyo, sparking fears of radioactive contamination.

Other countries like the US, France, Britain and Australia are preparing to evacuate or have advised their citizens to move to the south of the Japanese capital. Mr Ayacko assured Kenyans that they will not compromise on the standards and will ensure Kenya have the best systems for safeguards, security, liability and production.

According to the committee, the country expects to have its first 1,000MW nuclear plant between 2020-2022 subject to approvals by among others, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the global nuclear technology watchdog.

Noting that demand for power could hit the 15,000MW by 2030, Mr. Ayacko said the country has to go nuclear because, unlike countries like Germany, it does not have many options if it hopes to meet its development objectives under Vision 2030.

Kenya best bets are geothermal, whose maximum potential is 5,000MW, and coal, which is not an option in the present global warming sensitive era.