Demystifying fears of nuclear energy generation in Ghana

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• MARCUS AMPADU 9 years ago

  Mr. Jude Nuru, I am afraid your attempt at "demystifying fears of nuclear energy generation in Ghana" did not come out convincing. Calling the anti nuclear energy adherents "social deviants whose mantra is to cause havoc" wo ...
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  Mr. Jude Nuru, I am afraid your attempt at "demystifying fears of nuclear energy generation in Ghana" did not come out convincing. Calling the anti nuclear energy adherents "social deviants whose mantra is to cause havoc" would by no means promote public education and acceptance. You don't insult your opponents and expect them to engage in a fair dialogue with them.
  
  Besides, France and Canada where nuclear energy generation continue to propel economic developments are more organized and economically stable than Ghana, with our culture of poor maintenance.
  
  In addition, experience shows that in industrial countries like France and Canada, financing the the up-front investment needed for nuclear plants is a major challenge. It is not the fear of nuclear weapons or terrorism per se that is preventing Ghana from going nuclear, rather, in my opinion, the pivotal problem is the allocation of scarce governmental resources.
  Can we easily justify subsidizing nuclear energy at the expense of more pressing needs in health, education, ensuring food security, infrastructural development, and poverty reduction?
  
  I find it very interesting that nowhere in your piece, did you look at the feasibility and sustainability of renewable energy; at least, examine the costs and benefits of renewables vis-a-vis nuclear energy generation in Ghana.
  
  Of course there are sensible reasons for countries like Ghana to examine the nuclear option seriously: because of the reasons stated below -
  1. Nuclear - generated electricity contribute little to greenhouse gas emissions and could therefore help in solving global warming problems
  2. When Ghana eventually comes to use carbon tax on fossil fuel as one instrument to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from thermoelectric stations, would make nuclear generated electricity more competitive vis-a-vis the use of natural gas and other fossil fuels for that purpose
  3. There is no doubt that nuclear energy can contribute to energy security, reducing or eliminating the need for natural gas or other fossil fuels now used frequently for electricity generation.

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• Yaw Ohemeng 9 years ago

  I think you have rather made the case for not rushing into nuclear energy generation, even though I do not think its viability would be demonstrated in the Ghanaian case.
  
  If we have not been able to deal with conventional ...
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  I think you have rather made the case for not rushing into nuclear energy generation, even though I do not think its viability would be demonstrated in the Ghanaian case.
  
  If we have not been able to deal with conventional safety issues, as pertaining to driving of vehicles, what makes you think that we can grapple with running a nuclear power plant?
  
  It is errorneous to think that quantities of spent fuel are less bulky. This may be true but reprocessing itself spawns a lot of nuclear waste - any item that comes into contact with an active source becomes a contaminated nuclear material. Handling and disposing of them is add considerably to cost.
  
  I do not know if you are by any chance suggesting that Ghana builds a nuclear reprocessing plant as well. If not, are you suggesting that we export the waste to be reprocessed somewhere else and how do we do that?
  
  The technology exists alright but it is not economic for Ghana if we factor in construction, operation, maintenance, safety and security as well as storage and decommissioning. How much are we going to sell a unit of electricity to break even? It is good to entertain these dreams but we are no where near making it viable for Ghana.

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• Abeeku Mensah 9 years ago

  Question for you Mr. Jude Nuru; why is it that some 50 years after our independence Ghana cannot build a car to take us around on our third rate roads and or wheel chairs to transport our disabled bodies around? It is not the ...
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  Question for you Mr. Jude Nuru; why is it that some 50 years after our independence Ghana cannot build a car to take us around on our third rate roads and or wheel chairs to transport our disabled bodies around? It is not the fear of nuclear energy that is at the heart of nuclear energy debate/discussions but the very tainted brains and thought processing of our educated and political leaders.
  
  People in France do love their country first and as much some may hate/dislike some of their political leaders would not sell the nation for all the tea in China. In Ghana our leaders and everyone above the age of six (6) years will sell Ghana if they could to get personal riches. What happened to Ghana's own black gold or oil? Did we get the best for the nation or for some individuals like the EO group with side benefits to Kufour and his closed allies? Where would Ghana store its nuclear waste; should we choose the Akuapim mountains or somewhere in the Ashanti region?
  
  Ghana cannot and must not embark on a journey with our fate in the hands of foreign interests and or corrupt leaders who look forward to personal interest over nation. Nuclear energy production must come with institutions with oversight and staff with dedication and love for nation. We cannot have Chernobyl 10 times over in Ghana because of shoddy work, ghost employees and people sleeping on the job or unqualified staff who got their work assignments via Ghana politics. Ghana is what it is and progress for all or destruction of us all comes because of our insatiable linkages to tribe over country.

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• Dave Channon 9 years ago

  While this article claims to dispel anti- nuclear myths, it actually is a list of pro-nuclear myths. Green renewables including wind, solar, biomass, hydro and geothermal power can be combined with efficiency improvements an ...
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  While this article claims to dispel anti- nuclear myths, it actually is a list of pro-nuclear myths. Green renewables including wind, solar, biomass, hydro and geothermal power can be combined with efficiency improvements and conservation efforts to make nuclear power an unnecessary threat to life and the environment. Nuclear waste is measured in thousands of tons, not "minute quantities", and many isotopes are persistent and deadly in addition to plutonium. They are absorbed, travel up and concentrate in the food chain. Nuclear power is a dead issue because of enormous cost, unsolved waste problems, and the inevitable disasters that can render vast areas of productive land uninhabitable for the forseeable future.

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• Kobena 9 years ago

  Nuru,
  I am not sure you have made a convincing enough case for Ghana to go into nuclear energy. You seem to trivialise the case of nuclear waste storage, but it will be a very major headache for Ghana. A very cursory glance ...
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  Nuru,
  I am not sure you have made a convincing enough case for Ghana to go into nuclear energy. You seem to trivialise the case of nuclear waste storage, but it will be a very major headache for Ghana. A very cursory glance at the structural geology of Ghana shows very no area tat can safely be used for the purpose on any mid to long term basis.
  
  Secondly, if we have not been able to guarantee the safety of citizens, as shown by the worrying incidence of armed robbery, what guarantees can we offer for the safety of nuclear facilities. And that goes to the authorities of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission itself.
  
  In the early 1970s when we did vacation training at the commission, the only facility within several miles of the commission was Newlove Mamattah's Rabbit project that was begun by Busia's government, for security reasons.
  
  Visitors had to report to a security gate to be allowed or not allowed in. NO public transport was allowed through the commission. It was a self-contained entity like all Atomic Energy facilities around the world.
  
  There was a buffer zone of about 3 kilometres around the facility within which individuals were not allowed to build. The last time I passed near the area, private housing development had reached the dismantled gates of the commission and the place was awash with "tro tro" vehicles. Can you really trust such people with nuclear facilities?
  
  If we cannot manage simple household refuse, if we cannot manage a simple dual cycle gas power plant, if we cannot manage ordinary hydro-power generation, if we cannot honestly purchase a presidential aircraft, what makes you think we can manage nuclear power generation?
  
  There is a lot of insanity in our system as it is, please don't let us add nuclear insanity!

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• Kobena 9 years ago

  Correction.... " A very cursory glance at the structural geology of Ghana shows very no area tat can safely be used for the purpose on any mid to long term basis."
  
  "Just cursory glance at the structural geology of Ghana sh ...
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  Correction.... " A very cursory glance at the structural geology of Ghana shows very no area tat can safely be used for the purpose on any mid to long term basis."
  
  "Just cursory glance at the structural geology of Ghana shows no area that can safely be used for the purpose of nuclear waste storage on any mid to long term basis."

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