Minister advises Buyende residents not to sell land ahead of nuclear project

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, Ms Ruth Nankabirwa, has warned residents of Buyende District against selling their land to speculators who are targeting the 2031 nuclear energy power plant project worth Shs34 trillion.

"I want to call upon our people of Buyende not to rush to sell their land to speculators who would lure you with huge sums of money expecting to get a lot more as compensation from the government. Remain with your land and government valuers will be used as usual and the rightful owners shall be compensated," she said while addressing journalists on Thursday.

In December 2021, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) endorsed Uganda’s nuclear energy power plant development following a successful review of the country’s nuclear infrastructure.

The government identified Buyende as one of the eight sites for the construction of a 2,000 MW Nuclear Power Project for the introduction of nuclear power in Uganda’s electricity generation mix after pre-feasibility studies in 2019.

Other potential sites for the construction of subsequent nuclear power projects for energy security and industrialization include; Nakasongola and Lamwo districts among others.

Mr Emmanuel Wamala, the Assistant Commissioner of Nuclear Fuel and Radioactive Waste in the ministry, said the project will need an estimate of one (1) square mile of land for the power plant and additional 34 square miles to be gazetted as an emergency zone for the safety of the population.

Meanwhile, the ministry is set to host a four-day Africa nuclear conference from March 14 to 17, 2023 at Speke Resort Hotel Munyonyo.

Ms Nankabirwa said the conference among other things presents an excellent opportunity to Uganda, particularly, and the African continent in general to find suitable approaches to the challenges in the nuclear industry.

"The conference comes at a time when Uganda is in preparations for the amendment of the Atomic Energy Act, 2008, to strengthen the legal regime for nuclear safety, security, safeguards for nuclear material, civil nuclear liability and maintaining the nuclear institutional framework," she said.

It also comes at a time when seven Sub-Saharan African countries, including Uganda, have committed to having nuclear energy as part of their energy mix between 2030 and 2037.

Ms Nankabirwa said the region, particularly Uganda, is experiencing an ever-increasing population, economic growth, and rising social needs that require sustainable development of energy resources.

She noted that Uganda's vision for 2040 and the subsequent national development plans to identify electricity as modern energy to shift the country from a peasantry to an industrialised and predominantly urban society will only be realised with the introduction of nuclear energy. This is because electricity generation from hydro, biomass, geothermal and peat potential, if fully developed, cannot meet Uganda's vision 2040 targets.

“Ugandan is mixing firm steps to integrate nuclear energy into the electricity generation mix to ensure energy security and provide sufficient electricity for industrialisation. In addition, the government has identified nuclear as part of Uganda's energy transition plan. It continues to invest in developing the requisite infrastructure, including human capital development in specialized areas to support the early development of nuclear power," the minister explained.

Over 300 stakeholders from the international nuclear community are expected to attend the conference.