Burkina Faso signs nuclear cooperation agreement with Rosatom
The transitional government of Burkina Faso recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Rosatom, the Russian nuclear agency, as part of the Russian Energy Week held last October in Moscow. This agreement marks a first step towards civil nuclear energy for the country, although there are still many steps to achieve this goal.
One of the main measures to be taken is the training of qualified personnel, as well as the establishment of a nuclear safety authority, which must then be validated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). According to Ludovic Dupin, information director of the French nuclear energy company, this process can take a very long time. For example, Poland launched its nuclear program in 2013, but it took until 2023 for the IAEA to give approval. Training nuclear safety inspectors is a complex process that requires time and expertise.
Mali also announced a nuclear cooperation agreement with Rosatom, providing for the construction of four 55 megawatt power plants. For its part, Burkina Faso plans to adopt SMR (Small Modular Reactors) technology which allows electricity production of up to 300 megawatts. Some consider these announcements to be mere political hype, but Lassina Zerbo, former Prime Minister of Burkina Faso and chairman of the board of directors of the Rwanda Atomic Energy Board, believes that these projects are realistic thanks to technological advances in the nuclear field. . New technologies make it possible in particular to reduce the consumption of water and uranium, as well as the size of nuclear power plants.
However, there remain several outstanding questions regarding the security of these nuclear facilities in countries that face terrorist threats. According to Emmanuelle Galichet, teacher-researcher in nuclear physics, it is still too early to assess the safety of these projects. Feasibility studies will be essential to determine the technical and security viability of these programs.
For the moment, no details have been given on the agreement between Rosatom and Burkina Faso in terms of financing and timetable. This is only the beginning of the program and Rosatom often offers to provide initial financing for these projects. In Africa, only South Africa has an operating nuclear power plant, but other countries, such as Egypt, are currently working on developing their nuclear program in partnership with Rosatom.
In conclusion, Burkina Faso takes a first step towards civil nuclear energy by signing a cooperation agreement with Rosatom. However, the road to nuclear electricity production is long and requires the training of qualified personnel as well as the establishment of a nuclear safety authority. The benefits of new nuclear technologies, such as SMRs, open up new opportunities for African countries, but questions remain about the security of these installations in regions where terrorist threats are present.