5 Countries express interest to support Ghana’s nuclear programme
Five countries have expressed interest to support the country’s effort to implement its nuclear power programme.
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They are the US, China, France, Russia and South Korea. A decision will be made by the government soon to select a strategic partner to start contract negotiations and discussions.
“Based on encouraging support from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a number of countries have expressed interest to assist Ghana in the development of her nuclear power programme.”
The Senior Presidential Advisor, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, made this known during the third edition of the African Nuclear Business Platform in Accra last Tuesday, on the theme: “Driving nuclear programme forward in Africa”.
It was hosted by the Ministry of Energy and supported by the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE). The event provided African countries embarking on nuclear power programme the opportunity to deepen cooperation with operating countries to chart long-term capacity building relations and technology transfer in the field of nuclear science and technology.
Criteria
Mr Osafo-Maafo said their quest to identify a strategic partner would hinge on proven technology, resilient nuclear technology and comfortable financial terms. “A request for information (RFI) was issued in 2021, and a request for further information (RFFI) in 2023, in which 15 vendor companies participated.”
“The RFFI is at its final stages of consideration of which a vendor and technology will be announced very soon,” he added. The senior advisor said the country had made some significant strides in its nuclear power agenda since 2005, including inauguration of the Ghana Nuclear Power Programme Organisation in September 2012, to establish the terms of reference and road map for the successful take-off of the country’s programme.
Mr Osafo-Maafo said the energy security of Africa was hinged on its resources, technology and human resource development, adding that nuclear energy was one of the clean baseload technologies which, when harnessed, would industrialise and boost the economic growth of the African continent.
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“It is my hope that the construction works of the country’s first nuclear power plant, which is the phase three of the nuclear agenda, will commence in accordance with our national nuclear road map to enable us to meet our energy demand as well as our carbon emission mitigation targets,” he said.
Update
The Executive Director of Nuclear Power Ghana (NPG), Dr Stephen Yamoah, said the country had almost completed phase two of the programme. It entails identifying a preferred site, conducting detailed site investigations and assessment of various technologies, selecting a strategic partner and conducting community engagement and stakeholder management.
He said nuclear energy, although one of the most difficult and complex undertakings, when completed, would impact every sector and transform the country. For his part, the Deputy Minister for Energy, John Sanie, said nuclear energy was expected to contribute more than 40 per cent of the required 83GW of projected installed capacity by 2070, to provide cost-efficient electricity generation for accelerated socio-economic development.