Five vendors have responded to the “Request for Interest” issued by Ghana through the Ministry of Energy to collaborate with the country under its Nuclear Power Programme.
The vendors are from the United States of America, Russia, Canada, and South Korea.
Dr Kwaku Afriyie, the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, said this on Wednesday when he took his turn at the meet-the-press series in Accra.
He said the Nuclear Power Programme sought to build and safely operate nuclear power plants as part of the country’s energy mix to ensure affordable energy for industrial development.
The Energy Minister said the country had exhausted its hydro base source of energy, hence the need to explore other clean options such as nuclear power.
Ghana had completed the phase one of the Milestone Approaches towards the development of its nuclear infrastructure, which included pre-feasibility study, assessment of infrastructure, financing, technology to be deployed, safety, security, and siting, he said.
Dr Afriyie said the Programme was in its second phase, which entailed engaging with vendors, further site assessment, contracting, recruitment and training of staff, more feasibility studies, and signing of contract.
He explained that the final phase of the Project would be the commissioning and operationalisation of the nuclear power plant and all the activities necessary to contract, license and construct.
Dr Afriyie said the completion of the nuclear project, aside giving Ghana a stable power for vehicles and industries, would enable the country to fulfill its obligation under the Paris Agreement of cutting down carbon emissions and making the world habitable.
The Minister gave the assurance that the nation had competent and well-trained scientists and functional institutions, including the Nuclear Power Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Nuclear Regulatory Authority, and School of Allied and Nuclear Sciences championing the country’s Nuclear Energy Programme.
He said Ghana had been operating a miniature research reactor for the past 25 years, which was like a small nuclear power plant, and continued to offer training for nuclear scientists from other African countries as well as students from Pakistan and Iran.
Dr Afriyie said already, some sites had been identified for the establishment of the nuclear power plant and that three new seismic equipment procured and installed at all candidate sites were transmitting data to the Ghana Geological Survey’s national data centre.