Rwanda signed agreements on civil nuclear co-operation with the United States (US) and US company Holtec International on Tuesday, as it assesses the ‌potential for deploying small nuclear reactors to boost its power supply and support economic growth.

“The US is expanding and deepening civil nuclear partnerships with the aim of positioning American companies to export the safest, ⁠most advanced nuclear technology to responsible partners globally,” said Renee Sonderman, a US official in the Bureau of Arms Control and Nonproliferation.

Holtec said its development agreement with Rwanda was to advance the deployment of its SMR-300 units.

Small Modular Reactors, or SMRs, are smaller than conventional nuclear reactors.

There is a global push to advance SMRs due to ‌lower ⁠construction costs and quicker deployment times, but there are doubts over whether they will ever become widespread.

South Africa has the African continent’s only operational nuclear power plant. Russian state nuclear company Rosatom ⁠is building another in Egypt.

Fidele Ndahayo, Chief Executive of the Rwanda Atomic Energy Board, said Rwanda aimed to have its first ⁠nuclear reactor operating by the early 2030s.

He said the agreement with Holtec was about assessing possible sites and ⁠considering whether the SMR-300 can be used when the technology matures.

–ChannelAfrica–