State Minister For Energy Opolot Okasai combs through thickets in Sembabule where uranium exploration exercise was launched
The Ministry of Energy has started a new effort to explore and evaluate the status of uranium deposits in parts of the country.
State Minister for Energy, Okaasai Opolot launched the latest effort on Wednesday in Sembabule district. Sembabule is one of the districts believed to be having high concentrations of uranium minerals.
Okasai, who was accompanied by a team of geologists and nuclear scientists led by the Commissioner, Nuclear Energy Department led by Sarah Nafuna combed some parts of Sembabule to confirm the potential of the mineral in the central Uganda district.
Uganda is considering boosting its electricity generation capacity through nuclear power, and uranium is needed for the sustainable supply of nuclear fuel for Uganda’s Nuclear Power Programme.
“The launch will kick start the exploration process to evaluate the status of uranium prospects, starting with the areas of Kyambogo, Lwansala, and Kyataba B in Sembabule district,” said Okaasai.
“Studies have identified prospects of uranium with the potential of hosting economically viable resources discovered in the districts of Sembabule, Buhweju, Gomba, Kiboga, Mbarara, Hoima, Kabarole, Kamwenge, Iganga, and Tororo,” revealed Okasai.
He said the government would undertake a detailed exploration and evaluation to quantify the nuclear resources that will guide a national strategy for supplying nuclear fuel for the planned nuclear power plants.
Dr. Okasai appealed to the local communities in Sembabule to support and cooperate with the government teams in their area during the exploration activities that will include pitting, trenching, and drilling of the Uranium prospects.
Uranium is one of the mineral commodities under promotion in Uganda and its exploration was spearheaded under a 5-year Mineral Wealth and Mining Infrastructure Development project(MWAMID). The project should have ended in 2019. URN could not confirm whether it was extended.
By end of 2021, the government confirmed uranium deposits in Nkandwa Parish, Kiboga District, Katara Parish, Karungu Sub-County in Buhweju District, and Kyambogo Parish, Ntusi Sub-County in Ssembabule District. The uranium prospects in Ssembabule indicate; Chromium, Copper, Lead, Wolfram, Tin, and Zinc.
In 2009, a Canadian Geophysical Consulting Company- Paterson, Grant & Watson Ltd.(PGW) identified 80 target areas were selected as possible uranium mineralization zones.
The areas identified by Paterson, Grant & Watson Ltd included Arua, Pakwach, Hoima, Fort PortalWest, Fort Portal East, Mbarara West, Mbarara East, Kabale, Kitgum West, Kitgum East, Gulu, Masindi West, Masindi East, Kampala, Aloi in Lango, Jinja and the neighboring district of Buyende.
National Development Plan (NDP 2010-2015) projected electricity consumption at 1,872 kWh/capita and generation capacity at 14,670 MW by 2025. To meet this target, Power Sector Investment Plan (PSIP) 2010 planned to use nuclear power to contribute to this base load.
The feasibility studies for the proposed projects have also been conducted with support from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA, CNNC of China, ROSATOM of Russia among others.
According to Dr. Okasai, the Nuclear Power Programme is critical to the government’s realization of meeting a total installed capacity of 52,000MW of electricity by 2040 to ensure energy security for industrialization.
“Several undertakings are being implemented to prepare for introducing nuclear power into the electricity generation mix. The government wants to produce at least 24,000MW of nuclear power capacity to be developed by 2040,” he said.
The government has been planning to set up a Centre for Nuclear Science and Technology Project at one of the public Universities in Uganda for nuclear training, research, and development. The facility will be used in the production of radioisotopes for the Cancer Centers in Uganda and Africa.
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