Rwanda advances nuclear energy plans through global partnerships, government Says

In a post on X on Sunday, May 31, 2026, Makolo said Rwanda is building capacity in nuclear energy through cooperation with global institutions, including Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom and newly signed agreements with U.S. entities.

She said the partnerships also include agreements reached during a recent nuclear conference held in Kigali, where Rwanda signed cooperation deals with the U.S. government to strengthen bilateral collaboration in nuclear energy development. The Rwanda Atomic Energy Board (RAEB) also signed agreements with institutions in the United States, South Africa, and Austria.

“Rwanda is working with various international partners to develop our civilian nuclear energy capacity,” Makolo said. “In addition to Rosatom, we recently signed cooperation agreements with the United States government and other institutions.”

Makolo added that feasibility studies for a small nuclear power plant using Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology are ongoing, alongside plans to establish a national center of excellence for nuclear science and technology.

“Studies for building an SMR-based nuclear plant and a center of excellence in nuclear science and technology are progressing,” she said.

She also noted growing interest from financial institutions, saying development banks are increasingly exploring funding mechanisms for nuclear energy projects in developing countries.

Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev previously confirmed ongoing cooperation with Rwanda, stating in May 2026 that the company is working with several countries, including Rwanda, on nuclear power development projects.

Rwanda began cooperation with Russia in 2018, initially focusing on nuclear research infrastructure, with long-term plans to develop electricity generation capacity.

A nuclear sector assessment conducted in early 2026 concluded that Rwanda had made strong progress in meeting key requirements for developing nuclear energy infrastructure.

The government aims to operationalize a nuclear power plant by the early 2030s.

During the International Conference on Nuclear Energy in Africa held in Kigali, Rwanda also signed agreements with U.S.-based Holtec International, which develops Small Modular Reactor technology, including the SMR-300 model intended for Rwanda.

Additional agreements were signed with the United States government covering education, capacity building, and technical cooperation in nuclear energy. These include scholarships for Rwandan students, project financing discussions, and regulatory support.

On May 20, 2026, Rwanda also signed cooperation agreements with South Africa’s Allweld Training Academy and Austria-based World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS), focusing on training, safety, and nuclear security capacity building.

Officials say the partnerships are intended to support Rwanda’s long-term goal of integrating nuclear energy into its national development strategy.