Public participation exercise begins for Ksh.500B Siaya nuclear power plant

Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) and the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) kicked off the exercise in Bondo sub-county, where they emphasized that the multi-billion-shilling project will be driven by community consent, transparent dialogue, and rigorous public involvement.

Speaking during the commencement of the stakeholder engagement forum, Grace Chepkwony, who is in charge of social and community relations at KenGen, said that residents will be central to the process, noting to ensure that they make informed decisions given that nuclear energy is still new to many people.

Patricia Ndede of the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) said stakeholder engagement is a continuous process in any nuclear programme and will remain in place throughout the project’s life cycle.

She said the agency’s focus is to demystify nuclear power and build public understanding through information and capacity building.

Bondo MP Gideon Ochanda, who attended the public engagement forum, urged residents to follow the engagement process carefully and engage with the project in a structured manner.

He said that the public should now focus on the current participation stages and not be distracted by earlier confusion surrounding the project.

The proposed nuclear power plant is expected to support Kenya’s long-term energy needs by providing reliable base-load power, lowering electricity costs and strengthening the national grid.