| UAEC | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 2009 |
| Jurisdiction | Government of Uganda |
| Headquarters | Kampala, Uganda |
| Agency executives |
|
| Parent agency | Uganda Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development |
| Website | Homepage |
The Uganda Atomic Energy Council (UAEC) is a corporate body, established by the Atomic Energy Act of 2008, which was enacted by the Parliament of Uganda. [1]
The headquarters and offices of UAEC are located in Amber House at 29-33 Kampala Road, in the central business district of Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. [2] The coordinates of the agency's headquarters are:0°18'49.0"N, 32°34'54.0"E (Latitude:0.313611; Longitude:32.581667). [3]
UAEC is responsible for the regulation of the peaceful applications of ionising radiation, with the following specific objectives: (a) Protect the safety of individuals, society, and the environment from the dangers resulting from ionising radiation (b) Provide for the production and use of radiation sources and the management of radioactive waste (c) Provide for compliance with international safety requirements for the use of ionising radiation, radiation protection, and security of radioactive sources. [4] [5]
Since 2012, Uganda has indicated its willingness, determination, and intention to develop nuclear power for peaceful means, using locally available uranium deposits. [6] With an electrification rate of 20 percent as of June 2016, according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, [7] the country will need more than what it can develop from hydroelectric sites, to satisfy the need for electricity nationwide. [8] The country plans to generate 40,000 megawatts of electricity to meet its goals under the Vision 2040 development plan. [9] In October 2016, Uganda asked Russia for help in the development of nuclear power. [9]
The five-member board included the following members as of July 2009: [10]
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an intergovernmental organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. It was established in 1957 as an autonomous organization within the United Nations system; though governed by its own founding treaty, the organization reports to both the General Assembly and the Security Council of the United Nations, and is headquartered at the UN Office at Vienna, Austria.
Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions to produce electricity. Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion reactions. Presently, the vast majority of electricity from nuclear power is produced by nuclear fission of uranium and plutonium in nuclear power plants. Nuclear decay processes are used in niche applications such as radioisotope thermoelectric generators in some space probes such as Voyager 2. Generating electricity from fusion power remains the focus of international research.
A beta particle, also called beta ray or beta radiation, is a high-energy, high-speed electron or positron emitted by the radioactive decay of an atomic nucleus during the process of beta decay. There are two forms of beta decay, β− decay and β+ decay, which produce electrons and positrons respectively.
The United States Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) was an agency of the United States government established after World War II by the U.S. Congress to foster and control the peacetime development of atomic science and technology. President Harry S. Truman signed the McMahon/Atomic Energy Act on August 1, 1946, transferring the control of atomic energy from military to civilian hands, effective on January 1, 1947. This shift gave the members of the AEC complete control of the plants, laboratories, equipment, and personnel assembled during the war to produce the atomic bomb.
The Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authorityپاکستان نیوکلیئر ریگولیٹری اتھارٹى; (PNRA), is mandated by the Government of Pakistan to regulate the use of nuclear energy, radioactive sources and ionizing radiation. The mission of PNRA is to protect the public, radiation workers and environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation by formulating and implementing effective regulations, building a relationship of trust with licensees, and maintaining transparency in its actions and decisions.
The Atomic Industrial Forum (AIF) was an industrial policy organization for the commercial development of nuclear power and energy.
The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) was constituted on 15 November 1983 by the President of India by exercising the powers conferred by Section 27 of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 to carry out certain regulatory and safety functions under the Act. The regulatory authority of AERB is derived from the rules and notifications promulgated under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986. The headquarters is in Mumbai.
Burning of renewable resources provides approximately 90 percent of the energy in Uganda, though the government is attempting to become energy self-sufficient. While much of the hydroelectric potential of the country is untapped, the government decision to expedite the creation of domestic petroleum capacity coupled with the discovery of large petroleum reserves holds the promise of a significant change in Uganda's status as an energy-importing country.
The nuclear power debate is a long-running controversy about the risks and benefits of using nuclear reactors to generate electricity for civilian purposes. The debate about nuclear power peaked during the 1970s and 1980s, as more and more reactors were built and came online, and "reached an intensity unprecedented in the history of technology controversies" in some countries. In the 2010s, with growing public awareness about climate change and the critical role that carbon dioxide and methane emissions plays in causing the heating of the Earth's atmosphere, there was a resurgence in the intensity of the nuclear power debate.
The Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) is a government agency that regulates, licenses, and supervises the generation, transmission, distribution, sale, export, and importation of electrical energy in Uganda.
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, also Ministry of Energy, Oil and Mineral Development is one of the governmental bodies of Uganda. The ministry has the function of developing and implementing policies related to electricity, minerals, petroleum and petroleum products. The ministry is part of the national cabinet and is headed by a cabinet minister. The current Cabinet Minister of Energy is [Hon. Ruth Ssentamu Nankabirwa].
The Nuclear Safety Commission is an independent government agency of the Executive Yuan of the Republic of China (Taiwan) which is responsible for atomic safety, development and regulations. It also conducts research and development into atomic technologies. It is affiliated with IAEA by special agreements to safeguard the peaceful development of the nuclear energy by the Republic of China government.
Umeme Limited is the largest energy distributor in Uganda, distributing about 97 percent of all electricity used in the country. The shares of the stock of the company are listed on the Uganda Securities Exchange (USE) and are cross listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE). As of December 2023, the company's total assets were approximately UGX:2.347 trillion, with shareholders' equity of approximately UGX:937.381 billion.
The Karuma Hydroelectric Power Station is a 600 MW hydroelectric power project under construction in Uganda. When completed, it will be the largest power-generating installation in the country.
Bujagali Energy Limited (BEL) is an electric energy generating company in Uganda. The company owns and operates the Bujagali Power Station, the largest hydropower plant in the country as of July 2014.
The Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL) is a parastatal company whose primary purpose is to generate electric power for use in Uganda and for sale to neighboring countries. As of December 2017, UEGCL's generation capacity was 380 megawatts, with that capacity planned to increase to over 1,300 megawatts, by 2023.
The Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) is a parastatal company whose primary purpose is to make bulk electricity purchases and transmit the electricity along high-voltage wires to local and foreign distribution points. UETCL is the sole authorized national bulk energy purchaser and the sole authorized electricity importer and exporter in Uganda.
The Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP), is a collaborative effort by eleven countries in Eastern Africa to interconnect their electricity grids and take advantage of excess capacity within the network and facilitate trade of electric power between the members.
Nuclear power is not a component of Uganda’s energy supply but continues to be explored by the country.
