Ghana is pushing to wrap up the groundwork phase of its nuclear power programme and unlock the path to construction, with officials warning that the pace of progress must improve if the country is to stay on course for its revised timeline.
Dr. Archibold Buah-Kwofie, Director of the Nuclear Power Institute of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (NPI-GAEC), said Wednesday that Phase Two of the programme has reached a decisive juncture, and that the actions taken now will shape how quickly Ghana can move into Phase Three, which is construction.
“We have reached a very critical point in the programme. Phase Two is the project phase, and what we do now will determine how quickly we can transition into Phase Three, which is construction,” he told the Ghana News Agency in Accra.
Phase Two, which Ghana officially entered in August 2022 under then-President Nana Akufo-Addo, encompasses detailed site characterisation, institutional strengthening, vendor negotiations, and public education. Its completion will clear the way for Phase Three under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Milestones Approach, a structured three-phase framework that governs how countries introduce nuclear power responsibly.
Ghana is now working toward beginning plant construction by 2028, after officials acknowledged last month that the original 2030 operationalisation target is not technically feasible. The project has drawn bids from EDF of France, NuScale of the United States, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) of South Korea, and Rosatom of Russia, with Nsuban in the Western Region confirmed as the preferred site and Obotan in the Central Region named as backup.
Dr. Buah-Kwofie acknowledged that the programme’s pace has fallen short of initial expectations. “Are we progressing? Yes. Are we progressing at the pace that we hoped? Maybe not,” he said, pointing to funding constraints and competition from other national priorities as primary obstacles.
To address public knowledge gaps and counter misconceptions, the NPI-GAEC is rolling out a nationwide Nuclear Information, Communication and Education Campaign. The initiative will cover not only electricity generation but also nuclear technology’s applications in health, agriculture, industry, and research.
“We want the public to appreciate the benefits of nuclear technology in a holistic way. It is not just about power generation; it has broader developmental impacts,” Dr. Buah-Kwofie said.
If construction begins by 2028 and the build phase lasts at least five years, Ghana’s first nuclear power plant could be operational around the mid-2030s. Dr. Buah-Kwofie expressed confidence that sustained government support and strengthened partnerships with development partners would translate into the resources needed to accelerate what he described as a strategic national undertaking.
