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Powering Africa׳s sustainable development: The potential role of nuclear energy

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  • Kessides, Ioannis N.

Abstract

The electricity deficit is one of the most serious contemporary issues facing sub-Saharan Africa. Many countries in the region have insufficient generation capacity to meet rapidly rising demand. Electricity shortages have become a binding and powerful constraint on the continent׳s sustainable development. Their resolution will require coordinated effort to improve the effectiveness and governance of the region׳s utilities and to significantly scale-up generation capacity. A broad portfolio of low carbon (low-C) technologies needs to be deployed in order to address the electricity deficit in a cost-effective way and not be disruptive to economic growth. Since nuclear power can deliver low-C electricity in bulk, reliably and without intermittency, it could make a significant contribution towards resolving Africa׳s power crisis. However, the post-Fukushima safety concerns related to large nuclear plants with substantial radioactive inventories will be especially pronounced in Africa. Moreover, large scale reactors with huge upfront investment requirements are likely to be unsuitable for capital-constrained African countries with small electricity grids. One promising direction for nuclear development in Africa might be to downsize reactors from the gigawatt scale to less-complex smaller units (with substantially smaller radioactive inventory) that are more affordable.

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  • Kessides, Ioannis N., 2014. "Powering Africa׳s sustainable development: The potential role of nuclear energy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(S1), pages 57-70.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:74:y:2014:i:s1:p:s57-s70
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2014.04.037
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    2. Trotter, Philipp A. & Maconachie, Roy & McManus, Marcelle C., 2018. "Solar energy's potential to mitigate political risks: The case of an optimised Africa-wide network," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 108-126.
    3. Ben Wealer & Simon Bauer & Leonard Göke & Christian von Hirschhausen & Claudia Kemfert, 2019. "Economics of Nuclear Power Plant Investment: Monte Carlo Simulations of Generation III/III+ Investment Projects," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1833, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    4. Wealer, B. & Bauer, S. & Hirschhausen, C.v. & Kemfert, C. & Göke, L., 2021. "Investing into third generation nuclear power plants - Review of recent trends and analysis of future investments using Monte Carlo Simulation," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    5. Trotter, Philipp A. & McManus, Marcelle C. & Maconachie, Roy, 2017. "Electricity planning and implementation in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 1189-1209.
    6. Carrara, Samuel, 2020. "Reactor ageing and phase-out policies: global and regional prospects for nuclear power generation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).

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