Ghana will become the first country in Africa to have a Small Modular Reactor (SMR) by January 2025 with the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) between it and United States of America.
The MoU, which seeks to ensure Ghana’s safe and secure use of nuclear power, was signed in Accra yesterday at the third edition of Africa Nuclear Business Platform, and attended by Senior Presidential Advisor, Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, U.S Charge d’Affaires, Rolf Olson, and a number of countries from Africa, Europe, America, and Asia.
The two agreements were Memorandum of Understanding and Contractual Arrangements for the provision of the NuScale Energy Exploration (E2) Centre and relate services at Ghana Atomic Energy Commission and Memorandum of Understanding for a Regional Welding Certification Programme.
Professor Samuel B. Dampare, Director of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, initialed for Ghana while a technical representative from the Department of States signed for the United States.
In her remarks, U.S Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation, Ann Ganzer, said the U.S was committed to enabling the use of innovative clean energy technologies to enhance global access to zero emission, reliable power to support sustainability, energy security and climate goals.
She said that Ghana, represented by Nuclear was working on a cooperation agreement with the project developer, Regnum Technology Group LLC, to develop an industrial enclave utilisingNuScale SMR nuclear power plant as its main source of energy.
Prof. Dampare said the SMR simulator would support nuclear education, stakeholder engagement, and provide hands-on training facility to develop and train the next generation nuclear operators and engineers.
He noted that the regional welding training centre would provide essential training in nuclear welding certification at international standards that enable young Ghanaians and other Africans qualify for jobs in the nuclear energy sector.
Mr Osafo-Maafo, for his part said energy was the heartbeat of every economy, and it was important that the African continent had enough of it to support economic and social development, and also to enhance the welfare of its citizenry.
“Africa is affected by the adverse effects of global warming and for that matter must be interested in finding sustainable solutions to address this issue as well as meet our energy demands, “he said.
Mr Osafo-Maafo, who is a former Minister of Finance and an engineer, guarantees the best fuel supply security through the provision of a diversified energy mix with Nuclear Energy expected to contribute more than 40 per cent of the required 83GW of the projected installed capacity by 2070 in order to provide cost-efficient electricity generation to accelerate socio-economic development.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
