Track: Energy

Abstract

United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 calls for access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. Sub Saharan Africa has an abundance of natural renewable energies as in solar and large scale hydroelectric resources. These resources remain untapped due to the general absence of a synchronous and interconnected electrical power system.  For the present day, off grid individual load solutions permeate the region and the continental lag remains in the industrial and postindustrial economies. Without dispatchable and economic electricity, sub-Saharan Africa will be stranded and her millions of inhabitants will be destined to poverty.  A clean energy resource to power up national and regional economies and to harness the continents massive renewable energy potential is nuclear energy. The paper discusses the issues which have limited the current nuclear technologies from being deployed and why the prospect of modern Small Modular Reactors to meet this need would seem appropriate. The paper recommends a charter for the large scale introduction of nuclear technology to Sub Saharan Africa; incorporating policy, regulatory practices, design standards and people development.