Earlier in the week, the Government of Rwanda, represented by the Rwanda Atomic Energy Board (RAEB), signed an agreement with Dual Fluid to build the country’s first demonstration nuclear reactor.
The Rwandan government has been keen on advancing its nuclear energy sector in recent years. It signed an intergovernmental agreement with Russia on the use of nuclear energy in 2018. The RAEB, which is intended to coordinate research and development of nuclear energy activities in the country, was established by the Rwandan government in 2020.
Dual Fluid, a Canadian-German nuclear company founded in 2021, will be responsible for the technical implementation of the partnership while the Government of Rwanda will provide the site and infrastructure for the project. Dual Fluid says it is “creating an entirely new type of nuclear reactor that provides emission-free electricity and hydrogen, reduces today’s energy costs, and burns nuclear waste.” The company aims to realize “an entirely new type of nuclear fission,” to “exponentially increase the performance of current nuclear power.”
After years of detailed preparation and concept improvement, we are now convinced that we have found an ideal partner for the first realization of our groundbreaking technology,” Dual Fluid CEO Götz Ruprecht said. “The reason why Dual Fluid chose to invest in Rwanda is its highly favorable governance and business environment that has already attracted major international players. Our demonstration reactor will show that a better, far more efficient way of generating nuclear energy is possible and within reach in the near future.”
The demonstration nuclear reactor is expected to be operational by 2026 and the subsequent testing of the Dual Fluid technology is to be completed by 2028.
Minister of Infrastructure Dr. Ernest Nsabimana and the State Minister for Infrastructure, Eng. Patricie Uwase, as well as representatives of Dual Fluid attended the signing ceremony held on September 12th, 2023.
“In order to meet the growing energy demand of its population, to boost the development of its industrial sector, and to build an economy that is resilient to climate change, Rwanda is looking at nuclear energy to add to its energy generation mix,” RAEB CEO Fidel Ndahayo said. “In the spirit of remaining a ‘proof-of-concept’ destination as a strategy to accelerate the integration of innovative technologies, Rwanda is establishing strategic partnerships with start-up companies involved in the design and development of small modular nuclear reactor technologies.”
