The Energy Minister of Ghana, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh said the government is working to drive industrialization through the use of clean, reliable energy systems such as nuclear and renewables.
Speaking at a meeting with stakeholders for Ghana’s nuclear power program, the minister said there was consensus that nuclear power is an important part of the country’s decarbonization.
“While renewable energy sources are expected to continue to grow strongly, nuclear power, an important part of today’s clear energy, is also the largest source of low-carbon power generation in advanced economies, providing about 40 percent of all low-carbon generation,” he said.
The path to net zero in Ghana
A report by the International Energy Agency, Net Zero by 2050, said: “Hydroelectric power and nuclear power, the two largest sources of low-carbon electricity today, are essential foundations for change.” The minister noted in his speech, along with the need the electrification of transport and other sectors.
“On the power generation side in Ghana, questions about constant demand growth, high tariffs for industry, affordability, reliability and resilience have brought the question of an alternative base load power supply to the fore,” he said.
“Not only does a new nuclear power plant reliably generate low-carbon electricity, it also offers broader socio-economic benefits during its development, construction, and the next 60 years that the plant would be in operation.”
Since 2007, the various administrations in Ghana have been supporting efforts to improve the country’s energy security in order to provide guidance and resources to facilitate the nuclear power program. As a result, Nuclear Power Ghana was founded to become the operator of Ghana’s first nuclear power plant.
“Nuclear technologies improve people’s lives in many ways and support sustainable developments,” he said, adding that technologies such as small modular reactors could further complement the profound decarbonization of the sector as part of the energy transition.
Ghana has very high electricity tariffs in Africa, which makes it very difficult for Ghanaian companies to stay competitive. Nuclear, said Seth Twum-Akwaboah, chairman of the board of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), could cut those tariffs significantly. He called for members to be open to the nuclear power program.
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