China to help Uganda build nuclear power plants

China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) has signed a memorandum of understanding to help Uganda build and operate nuclear power plants, Uganda’s energy ministry said yesterday.Uganda has uranium deposits, and needs power to develop its recently discovered oil fields.

Eight potential sites have been identified in the country’s central, southwest and northern regions, the government said, Reuters reports.

In targeting Ugandan nuclear power, state-owned CNNC has joined Russia, with whom Uganda signed a cooperation agreement for nuclear last year.Reuters notes that Uganda’s energy needs are expected to soar as the country prepares to start producing crude oil in 2020 from fields discovered in 2006.

Uganda has uranium deposits and President Yoweri Museveni has said his government wants to exploit them for nuclear energy.The agreement with CNNC, signed on 11 May, sees it helping Uganda with the design, construction and operation of power plants.

In June last year Uganda signed a similar memorandum of understanding with Russian State Atomic Energy Cooperation (ROSATOM) to facilitate the two countries’ cooperation on nuclear power.