VOA标准英语2014--Kenya Pursuing Nuclear Power Despite the Risks

 

Kenya Pursuing Nuclear Power Despite the Risks 

NAIROBI — Kenya is forging ahead with plans to build a nuclear power plant by 2025 as part of an ambitious development agenda. However, the project is not without its doubters, who wonder whether nuclear power is safe compared to other clean energy sources.

Students at the University of Nairobi are training for the jobs of the future -- at what is planned to be Kenya's first nuclear power plant. 

The master's program at the Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology trains 15 students annually¹ to be technicians and engineers.

Institute director David Maina said increasing power generation is key to Kenya's development.

"The kinds of things this country is imagining they want to do requires a lot of power. And here we have only 1,600 megawatts. What can we do, if you compare that to a country like [South] Korea which has 43,000 megawatts? You see we are a tiny consumer compared to those big economies," said Maina.

About 69 percent of Kenyans live in homes without electricity; one nuclear power plant could provide up to 1,000 megawatts of power for those homes.

At a recent meeting in Nairobi, stakeholders in the nuclear project discussed its feasibility, which requires major investment in infrastructure² and security.

Deputy President William Ruto said developing nuclear power is more than just "thinking outside the box."

"Kenya's stated intention of using nuclear energy for electricity generation reflects the sort of thinking which can propel a country from relative mediocrity to the realms of greatness," said Ruto.

Many other developed nations have turned away from nuclear power following the disaster at Japan's Fukushima plant in 2011. Germany is scheduled to close all of its nuclear plants by 2022.

In Kenya too, there are those who fear a nuclear plant could invite a Fukushima-type of disaster, or be a target for terrorism.

On the windswept hills outside of Nairobi, another power project is under construction.

When completed, the Ngong Hills wind farm will provide some 50 megawatts of power -- much less than a nuclear plant.

Moses Ole Kinaiya, with the Maasai Integrated Development Initiative, said he'd prefer to see Kenya focus on projects like this.

"Renewable energy I think is more safe because for examples as you see the turbines here, they've been planted, they're producing power, it doesn't have any major health risks, it doesn't have any major even security risks because you just have a guard, nobody is necessarily targeting it in terms of creating mass destruction," said Kinayia.

Kenya is also developing projects for geothermal energy, coal and other sources of power.

While nuclear power may be the most productive source, it is also the most costly³. The price tag for a single plant is more than $4 billion.

1 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

2 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

3 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。