Over the years, Ethiopia has constructed several hydropower plants with the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) being the newest and the largest one under construction, rising sharply is also the demand for energy pushing the country to look for alternative sources of energy.
With over 60 percent of its population remaining off the grid, the expanding economy and ever mushrooming industrial parks, as well as the sharp population growth, is behooving the country to turn its nuclear energy ambition to actualization.
Nuclear energy, despite its capital intensity, is one of the sources which the country sees as a long-term plan to meet the growing power demand. And the preparation to launch early works of nuclear project has entered an important stage during the Russia-Africa Summit held in Sochi where Addis Ababa and Moscow inked cooperation framework agreement for the peaceful use of nuclear technology.
A Nuclear Research Center based on the Russian design is planned for construction on an Ethiopian territory in the nearest future. The agreement signed by Minister of Science and Innovation, Dr. Eng. Getahun Mekuria and Russia Atomic Energy Corporation Director-General, Alexey Likhachew in Sochi was presided over by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The agreement allows the former to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes such as agriculture, health, and manufacturing sectors.
The signing follows an earlier Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed in June 2017 that established a legal framework for nuclear cooperation. The roadmap determines specific steps in strengthening bilateral cooperation in the field of peaceful use of atomic energy.
The parties have identified joint actions within the framework of a nuclear power plant construction and center for nuclear science construction projects. Russian Ambassador to Ethiopia, E.Terekhin who took part in the Russia Summit Africa tells The Ethiopian Herald that the signed document is a framework agreement laying the legislative foundation for cooperation between Russia and Ethiopia in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy.
“In principle, the agreement involves cooperation in a wide range of areas, including research, energy, medicine, agriculture, etc. For each area of cooperation, a specific agreement should be signed that defines the obligations of the parties, terms and conditions and all other details of substantive interaction.”
Being new to the technology, Ethiopia, according to experts, could face expertise and financial constraints unless preparation is made ahead of the project. However, the agreement will enable the country to have its personnel trained by Russian experts. In this regard, the Russian ambassador says nuclear energy is an exceptionally high-tech activity that requires highly qualified personnel in many narrow specializations. However, the training of such professionals takes a long time. “It is a long and difficult process.”
If a country decides to develop nuclear energy on a national basis, then, accordingly, it should also train national personnel who will work for the good of their state and its prosperity. In this regard, the agreement, in particular, Article No. 4, implies capacity building, which manifests in exchange of experts, organizing workshops and symposia, assistance in training of scientific and technical personnel, exchange of scientific and technical information, he says.
The number and specialization of training programs will be determined based on the national plan of the Ethiopian government for the development of nuclear energy. The government must determine these parameters on its own. The first batch of Ethiopian students has already been sent to Russia to study subjects relating to nuclear energy sciences, the ambassador adds.
The first and determining condition for any further interaction is stated in Article No. 12 of the Agreement. It refers to the fact that Ethiopia should first join the Vienna Convention on nuclear damage of May 21, 1963. I can say that a discussion of such a document and its signing takes up to 2-3 years. But in our case, as both sides are eager to strike a deal, this process could be trimmed short, he says.
Considerable efforts are required to prepare material and non-material infrastructure. But as a preliminary task, it would be right to adopt a plan for the development of nuclear energy in the country which is necessary to develop a legislative framework and look for funding. Of course, the overall state of the country’s economy, its political stability and peace are of utmost importance.
Ethiopia is extremely reliant on hydropower plants. However, the rapid population growth and expansion of industries surely put the onus on the country to look for other reliable sources of energy. Hydropower could easily be affected by natural phenomena such as drought. So the country’s decision to use nuclear energy is imperative said, Tilahun Tesfaye Assistant Professor of Nuclear Science at the Department of Physics of the Addis Ababa University speaking to The Ethiopian Herald previously.
“It will be in the best interest of the country if it diversifies its energy sources. And nuclear energy is the best alternative being one of the cleanest and safest energy sources,” argued Dr. Tilahun. Nuclear energy is reliable and has a good safety record, he adds. Countries should be ensuring their energy security if the economy and political situations are also to be stable. Energy shortage is one of the major sources of public outcry, he added
Though effectively utilized in developed countries, nuclear energy is also becoming increasingly popular in dozens of African countries with neighboring Kenya showing progress towards energy development. Nuclear energy despite its capital intensity and the political implication is not luxury to countries like Ethiopia.
Nuclear energy requires huge economic investment and political dealing as the world remains skeptic on the purpose of nuclear enrichment. One of the major constraints that would put Ethiopia’s planned nuclear energy development could be financial constraints and expertise to run and operate the facility.
Learning institutions should be educating nuclear scientists and engineers who can run the facilities. Powerful nations’ pressure on poor countries, not develop nuclear energy, fearing governments could use it for weapon development. Hence it behooves the country to strengthen its diplomatic works.
“With nuclear energy also comes to some risks such as possible radiation and leak, hence the country needs to build the capacity of regulatory bodies ahead of such move,” he says, adding: “Nuclear power plant could give the country much energy than hydro ones. Thus the country must be working relentlessly on it.”
The Ethiopian Herald, December 27/2019
BY DESTA GEBREHIWOT
