The Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) and the US government on Tuesday signed a series of agreements as part of a new civil nuclear cooperation to further support Ghana’s safe and secure use of nuclear power.
The announcements were made at the Africa Nuclear Business Platform meeting in Accra, on May 28, and it includes establishing Ghana as a small modular reactor (SMR) regional hub.
“SMRs can provide 24/7 reliable power, complement other clean energy sources, have flexible siting requirements, and use a small land area. U.S. SMRs incorporate advanced safety features, including designs to withstand extreme weather and seismic events, and can be tailored to match the specific needs of a country’s power grid, with the ability to scale up as needed,” the US Embassy said in a statement.
As part of the arrangement, two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed, both facilitated by U.S. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation, Ann Ganzer.
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The first is an MoU and contractual arrangements for the provision of NuScale energy exploration (E2) center and related services at the Atomic Energy Commission.
“The documents, signed by GAEC and ISTC and by GAEC, ISTC and NuScale, respectively, advance Ghana’s technical readiness for SMR technology. The deployment of a NuScale E2 Center in Ghana — a first for the African continent — will be a key tool for preparing the workforce for SMR deployment in Ghana and beyond,” the statement said.
The second MoU is for a regional welding certificate programme between the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission and the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC). The programme is expected to provide training skills to Ghanaian technicians to help them qualify for construction jobs in the nuclear energy sector.
“Funded by the FIRST Program, this certification program will help to establish Ghana as part of a safe and secure SMR supply chain in the region. The United States is also currently in negotiations with Ghana for a peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement (or 123 agreement) and looks forward to concluding negotiations to enable closer cooperation in this important field,” it added.
