Kigali, Rwanda – Holtec International and the Rwanda Atomic Energy Board (RAEB) today inked a Development Agreement to advance the deployment of Holtec’s SMR-300 in the Republic of Rwanda. The agreement, signed during the Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit for Africa (NEISA), marks a major concrete step by the central African country’s aspiration to become a trailblazer in advanced nuclear energy generation in the continent.
The agreement was signed by Rafael Marin, Director of Holtec Europe, and Dr. Fidele Ndahayo, CEO of the Rwanda Atomic Energy Board, alongside a U.S.–Rwanda civil nuclear cooperation MOU signed by the officials of U.S. and Rwanda. The signing ceremony was witnessed by senior officials from both governments, including Renee Sonderman, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Arms Control and Nonproliferation (ACN) for the U.S. State Department, and Dr. Usta Kayitesi, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Rwanda.
“Through this agreement, Holtec and RAEB will work together to deploy SMR-300 units in Rwanda, with a potential total capacity of up to approximately 5 GW, supporting the country’s strategy to deploy reliable baseload power without carbon emissions which will serve as an engine for long-term economic growth in the nation. Holtec is proud to help navigate Rwanda transition to a nuclear power generator and to help position the country as a pioneer in the field of SMR deployment in Africa,” said Holtec’s Enterprise Unit Director Rafael Marin.
“The United States congratulates Holtec International and Rwanda on this important Joint Development Agreement, which paves the way for advancing safe, secure, and reliable nuclear energy in Rwanda,” said Jacob Helberg, Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs. “We look forward to working with Rwanda and Holtec to bring this transformative SMR project to fruition, ensuring that American nuclear leadership continues to light the way forward for nations seeking to achieve their energy security and economic development goals.”
Holtec’s SMR-300 is proven PWR technology-based “walk away safe” reactor that practically runs itself requiring minimal operator expertise and is designed to exhibit utmost resiliency in dealing with grid demand stability issues typical of rapidly developing economies. Its gravity-driven fail-safe safety systems, compact footprint with high power generation density (merely 38 acres to produce over 600 MWe), and flexible cooling options (water or air) are ideal to enable deployment across a wide range of sites in the country. The program will build on Holtec’s First-of-a-Kind deployment at Palisades Nuclear Plant in Covert, Michigan, which is likely to be one of the first SMRs in operation in the U.S.
“We are pleased to begin our cooperation with Rwanda Atomic Energy Board and to support the U.S. Government’s strategic vision to support the nation’s sustained economic growth by developing strong domestic power generation capacity. Our integrated delivery model spanning our SMR-300 reactor technology, EPC delivery (in partnership with Hyundai E&C), spent fuel management, operating support, and decommissioning will be essential to accelerate a holistic commercial nuclear program in Rwanda,” said Holtec’s President, Dr. Richard M. Springman.
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