Ghana is poised to select a company to build its first nuclear plant by December 2024, Reuters has reported.
Deputy Energy Director for Nuclear and Alternative Energy Robert Sogbadji confirmed the list of competitors, which includes France’s EDF, NuScale Power and US-based Regnum Technology Group, China National Nuclear Corporation, Kepco of of South Korea and its subsidiary Korea Hydro Nuclear Power Corporation and ROSATOM of Russia.
The selection process is an important step towards realizing the country’s long-standing nuclear ambitions.
Reuters Sogbaji said: “The Cabinet will approve the final selection. It can be one supplier or two nations. it will depend on the economic model and the technical details.”
The idea of ​​a nuclear power plant in Ghana dates back to the 1960s but was halted by a coup.
The plan was revived in 2006 with the support of the International Atomic Energy Union after a severe electricity crisis in the country.
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16 countries and companies initially responded to the government’s request for sellers, but a technical panel led by the energy ministry whittled that down to five.
Ghana is among several African countries looking at nuclear power to bridge energy supply gaps.
More than 600 million people on the continent are without electricity. Burkina Faso and Uganda have agreements with Russia and China to build their first nuclear plants, while Kenya, Morocco and Namibia are also pursuing nuclear power.
South Africa, home to the continent’s only nuclear power plant, plans to expand its nuclear capacity by 2.5 GW to address power shortages.
Ghana aims to integrate 1 GW of nuclear power into its electricity mix by 2034, according to Sogbadji.
The country, which is currently experiencing power outages, has 5.45 GW of installed capacity with 4.48 GW available.
As an exporter of oil, cocoa and gold, the country sees nuclear power as a means to accelerate industrialization and increase energy exports through the West African Power Pool.
Sogbadji further said the government has secured a site that can host up to five reactors and is seeking a “build, own, operate and transport” deal, with opportunities for local capital participation.