Nuclear Energy in Ghana

Ghana is pursuing a nuclear power programme to address chronic electricity shortages and support industrialisation, aiming for a plant by 2030. While the country has made significant progress in establishing a regulatory framework and converting its research reactor from highly enriched uranium to low enriched uranium, it still faces challenges in funding, stakeholder involvement, and the completion of a national strategy. The report also highlights Ghana's extensive use of nuclear technology in medicine, agriculture, and research.

• Ghana has experienced recurring electricity crises over approximately four decades, including periods from 1983–4, 1997–8, 2003, 2006–7, and 2011–2017. The 2014 crisis was particularly severe, causing a daily production loss of $2.1 million, totaling $680 million or 2% of the overall GDP.
• Ghana is following the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Milestones Approach to develop its nuclear infrastructure. An IAEA Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) team visited in 2017 and 2019, concluding that Ghana had completed eight of 12 recommendations and six of eight suggestions by the second visit.
• The government aims to have its first nuclear power plant operational by 2030. The estimated cost to build the plant is between $8 billion and $10 billion, and Ghana has sought financial assistance from China, Russia, and the Republic of Korea.
• Ghana has established a legal and regulatory framework, notably through the Nuclear Regulatory Authority Act No. 895 of 2015, which created the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) to manage the peaceful use of nuclear material and radiation.
• Between August 2016 and July 2017, Ghana successfully converted the fuel of its Ghana Research Reactor-1 (GHARR-1) from 90.2% highly enriched uranium (HEU) to 13% low enriched uranium (LEU). This process cost over $20 million and was funded by the US government's Global Threats Reduction Initiative.
• While there is currently no uranium mining in Ghana, studies between 1982 and 2012 indicated an increase in uranium concentration in rocks (<10ppm), suggesting a high chance of finding commercial deposits, particularly given the correlation with Ghana's extensive gold reserves.
• The 2019 IAEA review team identified several areas requiring further action, specifically government funding, goals for local participation, fuel cycle options for the first plant, and stakeholder involvement planning.
• Ghana utilizes nuclear technology for various non-power applications, including the Gamma Irradiation Facility for medical sterilization, external beam radiotherapy (using Cobalt-60 and linacs) for cancer treatment, and radiological imaging (CT and MRI) for diagnostics.

APA

Foy, H., & Bosman, I. (2021). Nuclear Energy in Ghana. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Special-Report-foy-bosman.pdf

Chicago

Foy, Hubert, and Isabel Bosman. Nuclear Energy in Ghana. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2021. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Special-Report-foy-bosman.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Foy |first1=Hubert |last2=Bosman |first2=Isabel |title=Nuclear Energy in Ghana |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=March 2021 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Special-Report-foy-bosman.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{foy2021nuclear, author = {Foy, Hubert and Bosman, Isabel}, title = {{Nuclear Energy in Ghana}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2021}, month = mar, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Special-Report-foy-bosman.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }