By Stephen Asante
Accra, Oct. 30, GNA – The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Ghana, is undertaking an initiative to complement the work of public institutions implementing the programme and project towards the establishment of Ghana’s first nuclear power plant, by 2028.
The initiative, dubbed the Ghana Nuclear Phase II Completion and Investment Readiness Support Programme, is expected to contribute to the country’s nuclear energy development efforts through policy research, technical engagement, institutional assessments, stakeholder consultations and practical decision-support instruments.
Mr Raymond Agalga, Project Lead, announced this at a stakeholders’ meeting in Accra, which discussed human capacity development, technical consultation, regulatory and institutional readiness, as well as immediate actions required to advance the programme.
He said the IEA initiative was designed to provide complementary support to the ongoing efforts of the relevant national institutions, particularly in strengthening stakeholder engagement, information sharing and the country’s preparedness for the next phase of nuclear power development.
Ghana’s nuclear power programme dates back to the 1960s under the leadership of the country’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
However, the programme was interrupted following the overthrow of Dr Nkrumah in 1966, after which Ghana experienced decades of political instability.
In 2008, the Government established a Presidential Committee to examine the feasibility of incorporating nuclear energy into the country’s energy mix to ensure stable, reliable and affordable electricity supply and support industrialisation.
Following the committee’s report, the Ghana Nuclear Power Programme Organisation (GNPPO) was established to oversee the development of the programme.
Nuclear Power Ghana (NPG) was subsequently established in 2018 as the owner and operator of Ghana’s proposed first nuclear power plant and has since worked with relevant stakeholders to achieve significant milestones in accordance with the requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Ghana is currently implementing Phase Two of the IAEA’s Milestones Approach, a structured framework that guides countries in developing nuclear power programmes.
Mr Agalga said the IEA’s year-long initiative had examined workforce availability, competency requirements and sustainability considerations within the nuclear energy sector.
He said particular attention would be given to supporting efforts to sustain Ghana’s nuclear workforce and ensuring that capacity-building interventions remained aligned with the evolving responsibilities of the national institutions.
Through structured engagements with relevant institutions, the initiative was expected to contribute to clearer implementation priorities, improved information sharing and the development of practical mechanisms to monitor progress against national nuclear infrastructure requirements, he added.
Mr Agalga, who is also the IEA’s Nuclear Policy Analyst, said Ghana had made considerable progress in laying the foundations for its nuclear energy programme, adding that sustained stakeholder support would be important as the country moved towards implementation.
He identified institutional effectiveness, technical preparedness, financing arrangements, regulatory capacity and coordination among the organisations responsible for delivering the programme, as important considerations in the process.
Professor David Kpegloh, a scientist at the School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, University of Ghana, who chaired the inception workshop, said nuclear energy studies had shown that nuclear power remained a viable option for Ghana’s energy mix.
He stressed the role of an effective, independent and adequately resourced regulatory system to ensure the safe and secure development of nuclear power.
Dr Robert Sogbadji, Deputy Director in charge of Nuclear and Energy Green Technology at the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, said the Government had acquired a site in the Central Region for consideration for the construction of the plant.
He said nuclear energy was increasingly being considered across Africa as a means of addressing persistent power deficits, accelerating industrialisation and promoting economic growth.
He called for stronger coordination among the institutions and stakeholders involved in the development of nuclear power programmes.
Ghana’s nuclear power programme involves extensive institutional, technical, regulatory and financial preparations to ensure the safe, secure and sustainable introduction of nuclear electricity generation.
Nuclear energy offers the potential for reliable, low-carbon electricity generation, with a high capacity factor and dense fuel requirements.
The Government’s broader objective is to secure stable and affordable electricity to support industrialisation and national economic development.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Acquah Sackey
Reporter: Stephen Asante
Email: stephen.asante.org.gh