Tanzanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Doto Biteko announced Thursday that Tanzania is laying the groundwork for nuclear electricity generation, according to a statement obtained by Xinhua.
Speaking at the 2nd U.S.-Africa Nuclear Summit in Nairobi, Biteko said that Tanzania views nuclear energy as both a viable alternative and an environmentally friendly solution essential for a sustainable future.
He said that nuclear power offers a reliable, low-carbon energy source, making it crucial in the fight against climate change.
To support Tanzania's development goals, the government aims to expand the country's installed power generation capacity from the current 2,641.01 MW to over 10,000 MW by 2030. Biteko said that the government is actively taking steps to assess and eventually harness its nuclear resources.
"To date, we have approximately 58,500 (metric) tons of uranium deposits and are focused on further developing our nuclear energy capabilities," he said.
Biteko also noted Africa's significant energy challenges, saying that around 600 million people and 10 million small businesses across the continent lack access to reliable electricity. He observed that electricity demand in Africa is growing at twice the global average, driven by the need for industrialization to meet socioeconomic goals.
"Not only that, climate change has impacted the performance of most of our traditional energy sources, resulting in reduced and erratic power generation from these sources," Biteko added.
The three-day summit, themed "Strengthening Africa's Industries through Nuclear Power," began Wednesday and concludes Friday.
Source：Xinhua
