Nairobi — Kenya's plan to commission its first nuclear research reactor by 2030 has received a major enforcement following the successful conclusion of an international review mission.

A team of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) commended Kenya's preparatory steps while on a tour of the country's nuclear infrastructure.

The specialists, two member expert team from India and the United States alongside six IAEA staffers, were in Kenya mid-December at the invitation of the government.

Andrey Sitnikov who led the nine-day review mission spoke highly of Kenya's professional approach to the development of its research reactor programme.

The IAEA mission said Kenya had made significant progress in the development of the national nuclear infrastructure for the country's new research reactor programme.

"Kenya did a great job of developing and preparing laws and regulatory documents, actively involving interested stakeholders in the programme, and developing human resources of both the future operator and regulator," said Sitnikov.

The team made recommendations for the further development of the nuclear infrastructure for the new research reactor programme.

Kenya looks to have a fully functioning and operational nuclear power plant by 2034, in the face of receding water levels at Masinga dam, the country main hydroelectricity dam.

Hydroelectricity is a major contributor to the national grid the the government's ambition to fully carbonize electricity.