Namibia: U.S., Namibia Discuss Nuclear Power

What the report says

The United States has signaled interest in supporting Namibia’s longer-term nuclear energy plans, including possible future use of American small modular reactors and microreactors, according to The Namibian, distributed by AllAfrica. The discussions took place during a week-long visit to Namibia by a senior U.S. delegation that met government officials, state-owned enterprises, and companies linked to the country’s energy and mining sectors.

The delegation was led by U.S. ambassador to Namibia John Giordano and Deputy Under Secretary of Energy Mike Kopp. They met with the Namibian Atomic Energy Board and discussed energy cooperation, uranium, critical minerals, and infrastructure. The article says the talks covered Namibia’s civil nuclear ambitions and the possibility of closer partnership, but no agreement on deploying nuclear technology was announced.

Namibia is looking to expand domestic power generation to support mining, industrial activity, and wider economic growth. The U.S. delegation also held separate discussions with Namibia Power Corporation on grid strengthening and generation capacity. In addition, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency explored possible support for infrastructure tied to mineral processing and value-added development, including uranium-related projects.

More broadly, the visit reflects growing U.S. attention to Namibia’s energy and resource sectors. Namibia is a major uranium producer, and the article also notes U.S. interest in the country’s offshore oil and gas sector. Background context: small modular reactors are a newer nuclear technology that some countries are considering for lower-capacity power systems, but the report does not say Namibia has chosen any specific path.