Rwanda to introduce nuclear accident prevention, mitigation measures

Rwanda plans to introduce measures to prevent nuclear accidents and minimise their impact throughout the life cycle of its planned nuclear facilities, from site selection and construction to eventual decommissioning.

According to Ecofin Agency, the Rwanda Atomic Energy Board (RAEB), the government agency responsible for promoting and coordinating the country's civilian nuclear programme, outlined the measures during a media briefing on Wednesday, 7 October.

The measures cover site selection, reactor design, emergency response plans and radioactive waste management, with nuclear projects to be required to comply with national regulations and safety standards set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Rwanda also plans to strengthen its preparedness for nuclear emergencies. According to the Ministry in charge of Emergency Management, the national nuclear and radiological emergency preparedness and response plan has been revised with support from the IAEA.

The next steps include validating the plan, training first responders and medical teams, and conducting a full-scale emergency simulation exercise. RAEB also plans to deploy radiation monitoring equipment in phases.