
President Akufo-Addo
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has incorporated the inclusion of nuclear technology into the country’s power generation mix.
The move, according to him, takes cognizance of the global collective commitment to the sustainable availability of power and the peaceful exploitation of nuclear energy for the benefit of citizens.
It is aimed at attaining rapid industrialisation goals and propelling economic growth.
A statement signed by President Akufo-Addo said “two other key institutions, namely Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) Ghana, an independent nuclear regulatory body, and Nuclear Power Ghana (NPG), a project company, to take up the role and responsibility as owner-operator, have been established by government.”
The objective of the nuclear programme is to satisfy all the relevant obligatory technical issues related to the introduction of nuclear power, the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), through its Technical Institute (the Nuclear Power Institute, NPI-GAEC).
This it will do with the support from other national bodies.
The NRA has met all the Phase-1 nuclear infrastructure requirements as recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Milestone’s approach, the statement added.
It disclosed that, “ in 2017 and 2019, the IAEA International Peer Review Mission, on the invitation of the country, undertook a review of the status of Ghana’s Phase 1 nuclear infrastructure development, and concluded that Ghana has satisfied all the prescribed studies for government to make a knowledgeable commitment to a Nuclear Power Programme.”
The President, in the statement, also said that there are numerous studies and progress of activities undertaken in Phase 1 of the nuclear power programme which has been consolidated into the Programme Comprehensive Report (PCR.
Commencement of project
In ensuring ready implementation, President Akufo-Addo has instructed the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) and the Minister for Energy (MoE), in collaboration with the Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, to take all the necessary steps to move the Ghana Nuclear Power Programme Organisation (GNPPO) from the Ministry of Energy to the Office of the President.
The step is intended at enhancing proper coordination among the key institutions already established.
The GAEC and its technical Institute (NPI-GAEC) will, however, continue to play its supportive role to the GNPPO at the Office of the President, following its re-alignment.
The Government of Ghana has adopted the content of the PCR as a reflection of nuclear power infrastructure issues in the country, committing itself to the peaceful uses of nuclear technology and sustaining international cooperation and collaborations through programmes geared at enhancing knowledge in all peaceful applications of nuclear technology.
It also stated government’s commitment to “continue their transparency, adherence to the strict standards of safety, security, and accountability in the peaceful uses of nuclear technology and continue with its efforts to implement the nuclear power programme in the subsequent phases of the programme by using nuclear technology to generate electricity to accelerate national development and industrialisation.”
2008 cabinet approval
In 2008, Cabinet took a decision to include nuclear energy into the country’s energy generation mix and pave the way for its inclusion into the National Energy Policy and Strategy.
The decision birthed the establishment of the Ghana Nuclear Power Programme Organisation (GNPPO) to oversee the implementation and coordination of the nuclear power programme.
Ghana subsequently declared its intention to pursue a Nuclear Power Programme (NPP) for peaceful purposes in August, 2013, through a letter submitted to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).