Russia in talks with four African states on large nuclear power plants, Rosatom says

Russia is ready to supply African countries with nuclear power plants of various sizes and configurations and is in talks with four countries on large nuclear projects, ‌the head of state nuclear corporation Rosatom said on Friday.

Rosatom Chief Executive Alexei Likhachev said the company was discussing the construction of large nuclear power plants with Uganda, Ghana, Ethiopia and Egypt. “Our partnership is based on the principle that Africa is diverse, and we have a tailored approach for each country that goes beyond a single project,” Likhachev said.

Nuclear cooperation was among the topics discussed at the third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow this week, attended by representatives from about 50 African countries, including heads of state and government.

The forum, launched in 2019, is part of Russia’s efforts to deepen its political and economic ties with Africa.

After the summit, Russian President Vladimir ‌Putin said African countries had shown strong interest in nuclear power plants, small-scale nuclear technologies and nuclear applications in medicine and agriculture.

Likhachev said nine African countries had expressed “significant interest” in Rosatom’s floating nuclear power plant technology, which the company has promoted as way for coastal countries to enter the nuclear power sector. Detailed negotiations are under way with Egypt, Tanzania, Togo and Namibia, he said.

Africa has only one operating nuclear power plant, South Africa’s Koeberg facility, which was built using French technology and entered service in the mid-1980s. In Egypt, Rosatom is building the country’s first nuclear power plant, the four-reactor El Dabaa project, and is discussing a possible expansion to six reactors.