The Deputy Minister-Designate for Energy and Green Transition, Richard Gyan-Mensah, has expressed strong support for nuclear energy as part of efforts to reduce Ghana’s high electricity costs.
Appearing before the Parliamentary Appointments Committee on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, Mr Gyan-Mensah pointed to Ghana’s power generation mix as a major reason for the high cost of electricity, which remains among the highest in Africa.
“Ghana’s power generation includes thermal and renewables, but thermal is quite expensive,” he told the committee.
“I will encourage my minister to explore baseload generation, such as nuclear and mini dams, to strengthen our energy mix.”
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He added that his position aligns with plans outlined by Energy Minister John Jinapor, who has previously indicated that the government is considering nuclear power.
“Nuclear is a base load source that is also cost-effective, and that can contribute to lowering electricity prices,” Mr Gyan-Mensah explained.
On Ghana’s oil production, he noted that daily output had declined from about 89,000 barrels to around 79,000 barrels, describing the situation as “not encouraging.”
Addressing energy efficiency and conservation, Mr Gyan-Mensah stressed the importance of public education and stricter enforcement of existing regulations.
“The most effective strategy is education and proper enforcement. We need to educate consumers on efficient energy use while ensuring full compliance with current regulations,” he said.
He assured the committee that if confirmed, he would work closely with the Minister to reduce generation costs and address losses in power distribution and revenue collection.
