IAEA Assesses Uganda’s Uranium Plan for Domestic Nuclear Energy

Summary:

• The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has completed its first review of Uganda’s potential for domestic nuclear power using local uranium. The review assessed Uganda’s infrastructure for uranium exploration and provided recommendations to help the country meet its goal of nuclear power generation by 2031. This initiative is part of Uganda’s broader plan to improve electricity access and achieve clean energy goals.

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The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has completed its first review of Uganda’s uranium production capabilities. The mission, requested by the Ugandan government, aimed to evaluate the country’s potential for developing a domestic nuclear power program using locally sourced uranium.

With nearly 50 million people, Uganda aims to enhance its clean energy infrastructure and improve electricity access. Currently, only about half of the population has electricity, but the government has set an ambitious goal to achieve over 99% electricity access by 2030. They plan to generate nuclear power by 2031, leveraging domestic uranium resources.

The Integrated Uranium Production Cycle Review (IUPCR) mission, supported by the IAEA’s technical cooperation program, assessed Uganda’s infrastructure for uranium exploration. Eighty-two participants, mainly from Uganda’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, took part in the mission, including a field visit to an active exploration site. Experts from Argentina, Australia, France, Namibia, and the IAEA evaluated 16 key areas, such as human resource capacity and regulatory frameworks, and provided recommendations to help Uganda progress toward its nuclear energy goals.

“The potential discovery of uranium deposits and the development of uranium resources in Uganda offer an exciting opportunity for the country to incorporate nuclear power into its energy mix,” said Adrienne Hanly, IAEA’s Technical Lead for Uranium Resources and Production. “The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development now has a solid understanding of the steps needed to evaluate the country’s uranium occurrences and move forward.”

Several areas in Uganda have shown potential for uranium, although no proven resources have been identified yet. Exploration activities include radiometric surveys and geochemical sampling.

Ruth Nakabirwa Sentamu, Uganda’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, stated, “The government of Uganda is committed to adopting international best practices, and this IAEA mission ensures that uranium exploration will be conducted according to global standards.”

The IUPCR team recommended developing skilled personnel for uranium exploration and accelerating the discovery and assessment of potential uranium resources through a robust, well-funded exploration program.

This mission is part of a four-year IAEA Technical Cooperation Project, which started in 2022, supporting uranium exploration and evaluation. Uranium exploration is a priority in Uganda’s new Country Programme Framework for 2024-2029. Anna Grigoryan, IAEA Programme Management Officer for Uganda, emphasized the agency’s support in strengthening the technical capacity of the Directorate of Geological Survey and Mines for exploring and evaluating uranium occurrences in Uganda.

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