Government officials and nuclear experts often say Kenya is in “Phase 2” of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)’s Milestones Approach. For most Kenyans, that phrase means very little. Here is a plain-language explanation of what the process involves, what Kenya has achieved, and what remains.
Anyone who has tried to build a major building in Nairobi knows construction begins long before the first concrete is poured.
Land ownership must be confirmed. Architects prepare plans. Different authorities review structural, environmental and safety requirements. Contractors must meet professional standards. Utilities must be considered. At different stages, different institutions examine different aspects of the project.
The process can be slow and complicated.
But the purpose is straightforward: identify problems before construction begins.
A nuclear power programme follows the same principle, but on a far larger and more demanding scale.
Countries developing nuclear power for the first time must establish the laws, institutions, skills, infrastructure and safety systems needed to support the programme.
One of the frameworks used to guide this process is the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Milestones Approach.
Kenya is currently working through Phase 2 of this process.
But what does that actually mean?
What Is the IAEA Milestones Approach?
The International Atomic Energy Agency is the international organisation responsible for promoting the peaceful use of nuclear technology while supporting global efforts on nuclear safety, security and safeguards.
The IAEA developed the Milestones Approach to help countries that are considering or developing nuclear power for the first time.
The approach divides the journey from an initial national decision to pursue nuclear power into three broad phases.
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Each phase focuses on a different level of national readiness.
The process is not simply about constructing a reactor.
It examines whether a country is developing the institutions and infrastructure needed to operate nuclear power safely, securely and sustainably.
Phase 1: Is the Country Ready to Make an Informed Decision?
The first phase focuses on whether a country has undertaken the work necessary to make an informed decision about introducing nuclear power.
This includes examining issues such as:
- Energy needs and future electricity demand
- National policy and government commitment
- Legal and regulatory requirements
- Nuclear safety and security
- Human resource development
- Financing
- Environmental considerations
- International obligations
At the end of this phase, the country should be in a position to make an informed decision on whether to proceed with a nuclear power programme.
Kenya has undergone international reviews of its nuclear infrastructure as part of its engagement with the IAEA.
The important point is that completing an IAEA review does not mean that a nuclear power plant has been approved for construction.
It means the country’s preparations have been independently assessed against internationally recognised guidance, with recommendations provided for further development.
Think of Phase 1 as deciding whether you are ready to build a house.
You have assessed your land, finances, and needs.
You have not started construction.
But you have made an informed decision to proceed.
Phase 2: Preparing the Infrastructure for a Nuclear Power Programme
This is the stage Kenya is currently working through.
Phase 2 focuses on developing the detailed infrastructure needed before making major commitments to build a nuclear power plant.
This includes strengthening laws, institutions, regulatory systems and technical capacity.
The work is extensive.
A country must address issues such as nuclear safety, security, environmental protection, emergency preparedness, radioactive waste management, financing, human resources, grid readiness and stakeholder engagement.
The objective is to ensure that the country has developed the necessary national infrastructure to support the next stages of a nuclear power programme.
This is why Phase 2 should not be understood as “the reactor is ready.”
It means the country is undertaking the work required to prepare itself for the complex decisions that come before construction and operation.
Depending on national circumstances and programme decisions, a country completing the necessary Phase 2 work can move towards major contracting and procurement activities.
What Phase 2 Does Not Mean
This distinction is important.
Being in Phase 2 does not mean:
- A reactor has already been selected.
- A construction contract has automatically been approved.
- Construction can begin without further regulatory and environmental processes.
- The plant has been certified as safe.
- Electricity will begin flowing soon.
Nuclear development involves multiple national and international processes.
The Milestones Approach provides a framework for developing the necessary infrastructure, but individual projects must still meet legal, regulatory, environmental, financial, and technical requirements.
That is why Kenya’s progress through Phase 2 should be viewed as preparation rather than completion.
Phase 3: Preparing for Commissioning and Operation
The third phase covers the period leading towards the commissioning and operation of the nuclear power plant.
By this stage, the country’s institutions, plant operator, and regulator must demonstrate that the necessary systems are ready.
This includes:
- Completion of plant construction and testing
- Regulatory licensing and oversight
- Training and qualification of plant personnel
- Emergency preparedness and response arrangements
- Operational procedures
- Safety and security systems
- Verification and inspection
Only after the relevant regulatory requirements are met can a nuclear power plant move through the stages leading to fuel loading, testing, and eventual commercial operation.
This is the final stretch of a process that can take many years.
Kenya’s Nuclear Development Journey
Kenya’s nuclear programme can be understood as a long-term process rather than a single construction project.
Phase 1
Assessing the national infrastructure and developing the basis for an informed decision.
Phase 2
Developing and strengthening the institutions, infrastructure and capabilities required before major programme commitments.
Future procurement and construction stages
Subject to government decisions, financing arrangements, technology selection, licensing and environmental requirements.
Phase 3
Preparing the plant, institutions and workforce for commissioning and operation.
Commercial operation
The point at which a fully licensed and commissioned plant begins supplying electricity to the grid.
Specific dates for procurement, construction and operation may change as the programme develops.
That is normal for large infrastructure projects.
The important issue is not whether Kenya meets an ambitious date.
It is whether each stage is completed safely and properly.
The Nineteen Areas of Nuclear Infrastructure
The scope of the IAEA’s Milestones Approach becomes clearer when one looks at the areas that must be considered in a national nuclear power programme.
These include:
- National position and commitment
- Nuclear safety
- International obligations
- Nuclear security
- Safeguards
- Legal framework
- Regulatory framework
- Radiation protection
- Electrical grid
- Human resource development
- Stakeholder involvement
- Site and supporting facilities
- Environmental protection
- Emergency planning
- Nuclear fuel cycle
- Radioactive waste management
- Industrial involvement
- Procurement
- Financing and funding
This list demonstrates why nuclear power is not simply an engineering project.
A country could have a technically suitable reactor design but still be unprepared because its electricity grid is inadequate.
It could have financing but lack enough trained engineers.
It could have a potential site but lack a sufficiently developed emergency preparedness system.
The programme is only as strong as its weakest critical component.
Why the Process Cannot Be Rushed
A driving licence provides a useful analogy.
Driving safely requires more than owning a vehicle.
A driver must understand the rules, demonstrate competence and operate within a regulated system.
The same principle applies to nuclear power.
A country cannot simply purchase a reactor and expect a safe nuclear programme to emerge around it.
The institutions, laws, workforce, regulatory systems and emergency arrangements must develop alongside the technology.
Also Read: The Ksh 500 Billion Question: Who Will Actually Pay for Kenya’s Nuclear Plant?
History has shown that nuclear accidents can involve failures across several systems, including technology, human decision-making, organisational culture and emergency preparedness.
The lesson is not that nuclear power is inherently unsafe.
The lesson is that nuclear technology requires sustained discipline.
There are no shortcuts to building a credible nuclear programme.
What Kenyans Should Be Asking During Phase 2
Phase 2 is also an important period for public scrutiny.
Kenyans should be asking practical questions.
Is the regulator sufficiently independent?
Does Kenya have enough trained nuclear professionals?
Is the electricity grid capable of integrating a large nuclear power plant?
How will radioactive waste be managed?
How will the project be financed?
What technology is being considered, and why?
How will surrounding communities participate in decisions?
What environmental studies are being conducted?
What emergency systems will protect nearby communities?
These are not anti-nuclear questions.
They are the questions responsible citizens should ask about any major national infrastructure project.
Phase 2 Is Progress — But It Is Not the Finish Line
The progress Kenya has made in developing its nuclear programme represents years of work by scientists, engineers, policymakers, regulators and other specialists.
That work deserves recognition.
But progress should not be confused with completion.
The most consequential decisions still lie ahead.
Kenya will need to select an appropriate technology.
It will need credible financing arrangements.
It will need strong procurement processes.
It will need an independent regulator with sufficient technical capacity.
It will need trained operators and engineers.
And it will need to build public confidence through transparency and meaningful engagement.
Phase 2 is therefore best understood as preparation for the next set of major decisions.
The plans are being developed.
The institutions are being strengthened.
The technical capacity is growing.
But the nuclear power plant itself still has a long journey ahead.
Kenya’s success will not be measured by how quickly it moves through the process.
It will be measured by whether it completes every stage with the patience, transparency, and technical discipline that nuclear power demands.
The milestone matters.
But the journey matters even more.
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