Uganda's Ministry of Energy has signed a services contract with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. Ltd (KHNP) to evaluate the site for an 8,400 MW nuclear power plant in Buyende District.

Energy Minister Dr. Ruth Nankabirwa stated that the $9 billion (UGX 34.2 trillion) contract moves Uganda closer to its 2040 energy target of 52,481 MW, with 24,000 MW sourced from nuclear power. She signed on behalf of the Ugandan government, while Lim Seung-Yeol, Vice President of KHNP’s Overseas Business Development Department, signed on behalf of the company.

Speaking alongside a 12-member South Korean delegation led by Ambassador Park Sung-Soo, Eng. Cecilia Menya Nakiranda, Commissioner for Electrical Power at the Ministry of Energy, called the agreement a significant step for Uganda’s nuclear program. She also noted the acquisition of 30 square kilometers of land in Kasaato Village, Kidera Subcounty, Buyende District.

Lim Seung-Yeol reaffirmed KHNP's commitment to supporting Uganda’s nuclear ambitions, referencing a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two parties in March 2023. KHNP, a subsidiary of Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), operates South Korea’s nuclear and hydroelectric plants, accounting for over 31% of the nation’s electricity output.

Minister Nankabirwa emphasized that Uganda’s nuclear power plant will strengthen energy security in the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP), which fosters interconnected power systems across the COMESA region, including Burundi, Djibouti, DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Uganda boasts significant energy resources, including hydropower, biomass, solar, geothermal, peat, uranium, and fossil fuels. Despite renewables supplying most of the country's electricity—hydropower (76%), biomass (9.6%), solar (4%), and fossil fuels (10.4%)—current capacity remains insufficient for Vision 2040 targets.

To meet its 2040 goal of 3,668 kWh per capita, Uganda is integrating nuclear energy into its national power strategy.