Nairobi, March 25 -- Kenya will require at least Ksh11 billion (about $83 million) as the initial cost of developing the country's first nuclear research reactor in what is expected to be the stepping stone towards future nuclear power production.

Research reactors are nuclear reactors used for research, education and training.

Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA), the State agency leading the country's nuclear power programme, says it will request the amount from Treasury in two tranches to help in meeting 40 percent of the initial costs of the Kenya nuclear research reactor project.

NuPEA will require Ksh3 billion ($22.6 million) in 2026 and Ksh8 billion ($60.6 million) in 2027 for the project, which it says will accelerate econom...