Time to consider nuclear power - Energy Minister

Mr Emmanuel Kofi Buah, Minister for Energy and Petroleum says Ghana is committed to considering nuclear energy as a viable option in power generation.

He said the Ministry was putting the necessary measures in place to ensure the realization of that great goal. According to him, the increasing demand for power in the country called for accelerated measures to venture into nuclear power, adding that the time had come for critical consideration of this option.

A statement issued by the Ministry on Friday and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the Minister made the disclosure when the Head of Africa section of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Dr Dazhu Yang currently in Ghana, called on him at his office.

The Minister urged Dr Yang to provide the necessary assistance to Ghana to realize the goals of its nuclear energy programme.

The IAEA Africa Head pledged his support for Ghana in its quest to venture into that area saying, if the country was to achieve higher middle income status, it needed cheap and clean energy to power its developing industries.

Dr Yang said the IAEA would provide technical support for countries which consider nuclear power as an option, adding that as a bonafide member of the IAEA, Ghana qualified for technical assistance in that venture.

Professor Benjamin Jabez Botwe Nyarko, Director General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) said preparations were underway to construct the first Nuclear Power Plant in Ghana, including the finalization of techno-economic assessment and financing process.

The GAEC Director General said Ghana’s Nuclear Energy Programme Implementation Organization, called the Ghana Nuclear Power Programme Organization was inaugurated in September last year, forming part of the first milestone required by the IAEA.

Prof. Nyarko added that a bill on the establishment of an autonomous regulatory body, another prerequisite for operating a Nuclear Power Plant had been sent to Parliament for approval.