South Korea, Kenya to cooperate on nuclear energy

State-run utility Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO) on Friday agreed a deal on developing nuclear energy in Kenya, as the African nation looks to broaden its sources of electricity.

The company and the Kenya Nuclear Electricity Board (KNEB) signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on the construction of nuclear projects and sharing expertise, South Korea’s energy ministry said in a statement.

East Africa’s largest economy aims to add nuclear power with a total capacity of 4,000 megawatts by 2033, the ministry said.

Blackouts are common in Kenya, partly because of an ageing energy network and insufficient generation capacity. Many businesses in Nairobi and other big towns operate back-up generators.

South Korea, the world’s fifth-biggest user of nuclear power, has developed its own nuclear industry, constructing and operating its reactors through KEPCO.

A KEPCO-led consortium in 2009 won a contract to build four nuclear reactors in the United Arab Emirates, which are under construction.