Rwanda plans to have a NPP operational by 2030, Rwanda Atomic Energy Board (RAEB) CEO Dr Fidèle Ndahayo told a press conference in Kigali ahead of the Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit for Africa (NESIA 2025). The planned plant will use small modular reactors (SMRs) using high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel. “That is our goal – for the first phase to begin producing electricity. We will need 234 staff members for that phase, and by 2028, we aim to have trained them so we can begin preparations,” he said.
“The reactor will be built using cutting-edge technology, some of which is not yet commercially available, and will occupy between 15 to 50 hectares of land, which can easily be allocated anywhere in Rwanda,” he added.
Rwanda has already begun signing agreements with nuclear technology developers and is simultaneously working to build local expertise, he noted. Plans are underway to establish nuclear training programmes at the University of Rwanda and Rwanda Polytechnic institutions. To date, Rwanda has 30-50 nuclear experts, with 200 more are pursuing studies in Russia under the Rwanda-Russia nuclear development partnership.
Another 40 students will be sent for training this year, followed by 40 more in 2026 through a bilateral agreement with Hungary. By 2028, Rwanda aims to have at least 250 trained professionals. Similar training agreements are being sought with other countries, including China and South Korea.
NESIA 2025 discussed the need for cooperation and knowledge sharing in nuclear energy, financing, infrastructure, and capacity building in Africa. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi said nuclear power is an enabler to address global challenges, and Africa must be part of the trend to find sustainable solutions.
