In a bold step towards addressing energy security, Uganda has embarked on developing nuclear energy, aiming to power its ambitious Vision 2040 goals, despite funding and public perception challenges.
Reading the national budget for the year 2025/6, Matia Kasaija, the Minister of Finance, Planning & Economic Development, said the government had provided some Shs 1.04trillion (US$285million) to be shared among four key energy infrastructure projects, among them, initiating development of a nuclear power station in Buyende district, 160km, East of Kampala.
Buyende is one of the five sites around the country mapped for the development of nuclear energy. The others are Kiruhura, Nakasongola, Lamwo and Mubende. In the long-term, Uganda plans to generate some 24,000MW of electricity from nuclear energy. Buyende alone, when complete, is expected to generate 8,400MW. Current plans are, however, to start with 1,000MW.
In the strongest demonstration of commitment yet, at the end of May (2025), the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Energy & Mineral development signed a contract with the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd (KHNP) of South Korea, aimed at starting works to undertake site evaluation for the nuclear power station, effectively the launch of Uganda’s nuclear energy programme. The contract unveils a 26-month site evaluation that will likely lead to construction and deployment of pressurized water reactors by 2031.
Beyond the engineering, KHNP will support Uganda’s nuclear ambitions through design, construction, and operation of the power plants as well as provide human resources development and knowledge transfer.
Seungyeol Lim, KHNP Vice President Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd said the works will be undertaken in line with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standards. This means taking care of aspects like assessment of vulnerability to natural hazards, cooling water availability, aircraft impact risks, among others.
Currently with installed capacity of just over 2,000MW mainly from hydropower sources, Uganda’s existing demand stands at 1,000MW. Although there is a current surplus, Uganda’s demand is expected to balloon in the near future as the country develops its e-mobility, digitalization, and industrialization programmes.
Ruth Nankabirwa, Uganda’s Minister of Energy & Mineral Development said the country’s plans for development of nuclear energy started back in 2016. The Buyende project, however, marks the very first time Uganda takes practical steps towards developing power stations.
In the past, Uganda signed exploration and development agreements with China (2018), Russia (2019), both of which have hitherto not made any progress. A new agreement was signed with South Korea in 2023. Initial reports had indicated Russia’s Rosatom as the would- have-been key player in the country’s nuclear energy. However, they withdrew in 2020 in what was understood to be because of funding challenges. Since then, Russia disappeared from the picture.
By integrating nuclear power, Uganda seeks not only to increase its power supply but also to diversify its mix and enhance its energy security. Currently over 95% of the country’s electricity is from hydro power sources that are highly vulnerable to climate change. Nuclear energy will provide enormous amounts of power while at the same time cutting down on the country’s carbon footprint.
With the right international partnerships, uranium exploration efforts, and a robust regulatory framework in place, Uganda is positioning itself as a trailblazer in East Africa’s nuclear energy landscape.
While the government is financing initial project activities like exploration, evaluation, relocations of displaced population, it will have to depend on foreign funding for the more costly construction and operating stages. Pundits argue this funding will take long to negotiate and will probably plunge Uganda into deeper debt, unless the government comes up with creative financing solutions.
Sections of the public have also voiced concerns about safety from nuclear accidents that they say the government may not have capacity to prevent or even mitigate.
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