Ghana In consideration of Five companies submitted bids to build France’s first nuclear power plant. The Federal Republic of GermanyUS-based NuScale Power and Regnum Technology Group; China Nuclear Corporation; KEPCO from Korea and its subsidiaries Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Corporation; and Russia’s RosatomInterviewed by Godfred Akoto Boafo for The Conversation Africa Seth Coffey DebrahDirector of the Atomic Energy Research Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commissiondiscusses the pros and cons of adding nuclear power to the country’s electricity mix, and why Ghana needs to diversify and identify new energy sources.
Why is the nuclear option attractive for Ghana?
Factors driving Ghana’s incorporation of nuclear power into its energy mix include the country’s industrialization ambitions, fuel constraints, limited resources, climatic conditions, and international commitments to climate change mitigation.
Nuclear power is highly reliable because it can be used all year round. Nuclear power plants are expected to operate as baseload plants (production facilities used to meet some or all of a region’s ongoing energy needs) with an operating rate of about 92%. Conventional nuclear power plants typically: Run Compared to 92% of the calendar year Natural gas 54% Power plant, Solar power generation: 24% and 34% For wind power plants.
Demand for electricity is increasing nationwide. 84% of the population Electricity may be available but not connected to the grid, meaning electricity may be available in the area but not connected due to personal circumstances.
Power Demand Expected to grow rapidly Thanks to electrification projects planned by successive governments, Rural Electrification Project (with the goal of providing electricity to all communities with a population of 500 or more) and industrialization initiatives (such as the development of manufacturing, alumina and iron industries).
Another reason for choosing nuclear power is that Ghana sees it as a means to support its industrial development ambitions in the region.
For example, Ghana West African Power Poolis a specialized agency of the Economic Community of West African States. It serves 14 of the 15 ECOWAS member states and aims to provide reliable energy at competitive costs.
According to the World Bank: Average electrification rate in West Africa About 42%, meaning that almost half of the region’s population has no access to electricity.Ghana’s electrification rate is 84%.
Ghana believes nuclear power can help the country achieve its industrial ambitions while fighting climate change.
As Signatories to the Paris AgreementGhana has international obligations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Nuclear power does not emit any greenhouse gases.
Ghana’s power sector is dominated by thermal power plants that use natural gas, a fossil fuel. Fossil fuel-fired power plants It accounts for 64% of the current energy mix. This is an over-reliance on a single fuel source. Natural gas has competing uses in many sectors, which leads to frequent fuel shortages. Also, natural gas prices are determined by international markets, which leads to price volatility.
Ghana has domestic resources of natural gas. However, these reserves are Decreased By 2028.
How reliable is the country’s current energy mix?
Ghana’s current energy mix is Capacity: 1,584MW Hydroelectric power generation, 3,758MW thermal power plant (Powered primarily by natural gas) 112MW of solar power generationHowever, renewable energy sources are fluctuating, so there is no reliable capacity (the total amount of electricity a facility can generate and feed into the power grid).
Reliable capacity in a country’s energy mix is crucial. To ensure reliability, the energy mix must have strong baseload capacity (the minimum amount of electricity that needs to be fed into the power grid at any given time) before renewables can be considered.
No industrialized country has built an economy based on variable electricity generation. They needed a reliable backbone source of electricity they could always depend on. European countries used natural gas, coal, hydroelectric, and nuclear as baseload sources of electricity, and added variable renewables.
If Ghana wants to leverage its natural resources to become an industrial powerhouse, it needs sustainable, reliable and affordable baseload electricity, which can come from sources like nuclear power.
Read more: Climate change will affect hydropower — African countries must prepare
What is the government’s position on nuclear power?
Ghana doesn’t have many other energy options: it has good hydroelectric resources, but most of it is already exploited.
The proposed small dams are vulnerable to climate change and illegal mining, raising questions about the economic justification for building more small hydropower plants.
Ghana began nuclear power projects in the early 1960s, but the idea never came to fruition. Resume The project was launched in 2007 under former President John Agyekum Kufuor. Three-phase approachGhana is currently in the second phase, which involves vendor selection and site preparation.
The plant will be built on the country’s coast and is expected to begin operations in early 2030.
Read more: Ghana’s power crisis holds the country back – how did it come to this?
Given Ghana’s financial constraints, is nuclear power a good idea?
Nuclear power plants are Cheapest source Nuclear power accounts for 10% of the world’s electricity. Although nuclear power has huge initial costs, its long life span (over 60 years) and low operating costs make it one of the cheapest baseload sources of electricity.
In developed countries around the world Seeking financial support Nuclear projects include various model Provide financing for the procurement of nuclear power plants, including public-private partnership options.
What about nuclear waste and the costs of disposing of it?
Ghana is already in the minority Radioactive waste storage facility In Africa, Ghana will already have the capacity to manage nuclear waste when it builds its nuclear power plants.
Radioactive waste management, which deals with nuclear waste, is an issue that needs to be addressed in the early stages of planning a nuclear power plant. International Atomic Energy Agency’s Milestone Approach These are the steps most countries follow when developing their nuclear programs, and they outline all 19 infrastructure issues that need to be addressed through a three-phase approach.
It is the only power plant that is responsible for disposing of waste at the end of its life, and it is the only power plant that has effectively planned and paid for waste management during and after its operation, with a dedicated waste management fund.
The costs of managing nuclear waste and decommissioning at the end of a nuclear power plant’s operating life are included in the nuclear power plant’s tariffs – this is a safety requirement set out in the Nuclear Safety Act. International Atomic Energy Agency safety standardsFurthermore, nuclear power countries have strict regulations regarding decommissioning that nuclear power plant owners must comply with.
One of the major concerns of the public is the disposal and storage of high-level spent fuel, sometimes referred to as “waste.” High-level spent fuel is fuel that has been used up through irradiation. This spent fuel is usually 90% usable fuel Can be reused through reprocessing.