Why nuclear power is central to the global energy mix

Nuclear in Africa must grow much more – Kirill Komarov, Rosatom

Kirill Komarov, First Deputy Director-General and Director for Development and International Business at Rosatom, said nuclear energy offers the stability and reliability that renewables alone cannot yet provide.

Speaking to ESI Africa in an exclusive interview during Africa Energy Week in Cape Town, Komarov said Africa urgently needs stable, reliable baseload energy to drive its economic and social development.

 

“It’s now a very obvious fact, but even several years ago many people believed renewables alone could meet all energy needs. We now see that’s impossible… with all due respect to solar and wind… because we need something reliable, operating 24/7 without dependence on natural conditions,” he said.

Komarov stressed that nuclear energy has become a “common statement” in the debate over clean, green and stable energy systems. While each country must determine its own energy balance, he said, nuclear is increasingly recognised as a necessary part of that mix.

Nuclear energy in Africa

Currently, Africa has just two nuclear projects: Koeberg Power Station in South Africa and the El-Dabaa plant under construction in Egypt.

Once completed, El Dabaa will be the continent’s largest nuclear facility, built with Russian technology and capable of generating around 5GW, enough to supply electricity to 18 million people – roughly the population of Istanbul. The plant will cover nearly 20% of Egypt’s total power demand, Komarov said.

“It’s a very good example that everything is possible. Africa is not isolated from global trends,” he added.

Building people, infrastructure and public trust

Komarov emphasised that the first and most crucial ingredient in developing nuclear power is human capacity. Each 1,000MW reactor requires roughly 1,000 skilled employees, all of whom must be university graduates.

Russia, he said, is supporting nuclear education by training more than 2,500 international students, including 400 from 23 African countries, at Russian universities through state-sponsored programmes.

“We are inviting talented young people to Russia to receive the best nuclear education in the world. It’s not just about energy, it’s about creating well-paid jobs, developing science and technology and enabling nuclear applications in medicine, agriculture and water desalination,” said Komarov.

The second requirement, he said, is to establish a comprehensive nuclear infrastructure. Beyond power generation, this includes legal and regulatory frameworks, spent fuel and waste management system and local supply chains.

“A nuclear power plant is a 100-year project,” Komarov noted.

“You need ten years to construct it, 60 to 80 years to operate it, and another decade or two to decommission it. Throughout this period, you need a supportive ecosystem around the plant.”

Public acceptance and local participation, he said, are also essential.

“You cannot build a nuclear power plant without public support. There are many myths about nuclear energy – often fuelled by pop culture – that need to be dispelled with facts,” Komarov said, pointing to South Africa’s 40-year record of safe operation at Koeberg as proof of nuclear energy’s safety.

He added that the economic impact of nuclear projects extends far beyond the plant itself.

Each job created during construction, he said, generates up to 10 additional jobs in the surrounding economy through supply chains, services and infrastructure support.

Small Modular Reactors for Africa?

Komarov believes small modular reactors (SMRs) could play a transformative role for Africa, particularly in remote or grid-isolated regions.

“SMRs can be built faster… in four to five years… and require far less upfront investment,” he said.

“For countries with smaller grids, a 50MW SMR is ideal. You can start small and expand gradually, adding modules as demand grows.”

Rosatom already operates the world’s only commercial floating nuclear power plant, which has been supplying energy for over five years in Russia’s far north.

Komarov said this experience proves SMRs can deliver safe, clean and flexible power even in extreme conditions – a model that could be replicated across Africa by 2030.

Closing the nuclear fuel cycle

On the issue of nuclear waste, Komarov argued that spent fuel should be seen not as waste, but as a valuable source of future energy.

“Only 20% of the fuel is used in one cycle; the remaining 80% can be reused if reprocessed properly,” he explained.

“In Russia, we are close to achieving a closed nuclear fuel cycle through advanced fast reactor technology.

Rosatom’s BREST-OD-300 reactor, currently under construction in Seversk, Siberia, is designed to enable the full reuse of uranium fuel, effectively making nuclear a renewable industry.

“If we reprocess and reuse fuel, uranium becomes an endless, clean source of energy. It solves two problems: resource scarcity and radioactive waste.”

Growing global consensus

Komarov said international recognition of nuclear’s role in the energy transition is growing, with institutions such as the World Bank and New Development Bank (BRICS) now opening financing windows for nuclear projects.

“Financial institutions are conservative, but we see positive change. If a country has people, infrastructure, public support, and financing, it can successfully develop nuclear energy.”

At the World Atomic Week in Moscow in September, Rosatom hosted representatives from 118 countries, where interest from Africa was especially high.

Ethiopia, Komarov confirmed, recently announced plans to build its first nuclear power plant following the completion of its major hydropower project.

“For countries like Ethiopia, with fast-growing populations and economies, nuclear is the right answer,” he said.

Nuclear energy can address massive electricity access challenges

At the Moscow event, Komarov noted that nuclear has the capacity to address the “huge demand for electricity.”

“First, because the majority of the 750 million people who still lack permanent access to electricity live in Africa.

“We see the enormous deficit, the very high electricity prices. There is no need to set any special tariffs – just build a nuclear plant, sell at current prices, and it will pay off and return the investment. Today in Africa electricity costs 15–20 US cents per kWh.

“Today Africa has only one operating Koeberg NPP in South Africa, and only one under construction – El-Dabaa in Egypt. Clearly, that is far too little. Nuclear power in Africa must grow much more.” ESI

Cover photo:  Kirill Komarov, First Deputy Director General and Director for Development and International Business at Rosatom addresses the media at the World Atomic Week in Moscow in September. Source: ESI Africa.