Nuclear Power Ghana to present vendor assessment report to Energy Ministry December 2021

Nuclear Power Ghana (NPG) says plans are far-reaching to present vendor assessment report to the Energy Ministry by the end of 2021 to influence and usher-in government’s nuclear agenda to build a cheaper power source whilst making proposals to government in terms of technology and vendor.

According to Executive Director of Nuclear Power Ghana Dr. Stephen Yamoah, the decision to handover vendor assessment report and recommendations to Energy Minister forms part of the NPG’s agenda to build Ghana’s nuclear power plants aimed at producing affordable electricity within safe and environmentally friendly manner for socio-economic development.

Speaking to African Editors after opening of a workshop for selected media professionals by Nuclear Power Ghana on Tuesday 30 November 2021 in Accra, Executive Director Dr. Stephen Yamoah said “We’ll present the vendor assessment report to the Energy Minister Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh by the end of this year after review, for the ministry to deliberate on it and engage government towards the nuclear agenda”.

Dr. Stephen Yamoah, Executive Director of Nuclear Power Ghana 

Dr. Yamoah noted that the decision to furnish the Energy Ministry with the vendor assessment report is based on technical evaluation that proved that Ghana is knowledgeably ready to fully commence nuclear power agenda”.

Speaking to African Editors on the sidelines of the workshop, Director-General of Ghana Atomic Energy Commission and Board Chairman of Nuclear Power Ghana Prof. B.J.B Nyarko said “Nuclear power plants can are necessary for Ghana’s industrialization agenda where power is made accessible to everybody without difficulty. If there is no enough power, the country struggles to implement its development goals. That’s why it has become necessary that we go for additional sources of power, the baseload which is nuclear power plant to be built for Ghana’s development”.

Prof. Nyarko noted that “About 33 countries have already built nuclear power plants for energy and Ghana will be making progress devoid of fears if it successfully implement the nuclear programme”.

Established in 2018 as the Owner/Operator of Ghana’s first proposed nuclear power plant, Nuclear Power Ghana (NPG) is meant to to be regional leader in the provision of affordable, reliable and sustainable low-carbon emission energy. The rational for the nuclear power agenda is to achieve energy security, economic competitiveness and environmental protection with national development goal grounded on four pillars. These include long term vision, protected increase in demand, limited hydro resources, gas resources, energy diversification and industrialisation.

Ing. Jonathan Amoako-Baah Immediate Past CEO of Ghana Grid Company (GRIDco)

Contributing to the debate, Immediate Past CEO of Ghana Grid Company (GRIDco) Ing. Jonathan Amoako-Baah says there is the need to incorporate nuclear power into Ghana’s energy mix to guarantee reliable and inexpensive energy supply for industrial push in a sustainable manner. According to him, the nuclear power agenda is crucial to avoid future power outages, ‘dumsor’.

Speaking on the topic: Ghana’s nuclear power, the preferred alternative baseload energy for Ghana, Ing. Amoako-Baah noted that “I’m in support of Ghana’s nuclear power agenda”.

According to Nuclear Power Ghana, electricity demand is projected to grow at an average rate of 5.1% base case and 8.1% accelerated base. There is already exploited 63.5% of potential hydro resources with remaining resources mainly medium and small hydropower from over 20 sites.

Ing. Anthony Osafo Kissi, Deputy CEO of Bui Power

For his part, Deputy CEO of Bui Power Ing. Anthony Osafo Kissi who charged the workshop has charged Journalists to be ambassadors of Ghana’s nuclear agenda.

Energy industry remains the engine of job creation but demand highly skilled labour and promotes the growth of the economy. It’s projected that 1000 Megawatts of nuclear power plant creates direct employment for 700 to 1000 people during its operation.

Apart from that, Nuclear Power Energy Institute Study (2012) shows nuclear power plants create the largest workforce annual income based on both large capacity and being a labour-intensive technology. Nuclear power plant workforce is among one of the highest paying jobs in established nuclear states.

Director of Public Affairs Bellona Gerrad Vittor-Quo says “media is our special purpose vehicle to establish links with stakeholders”.

Director-General of Ghana Atomic Energy Commission and Board Chairman of Nuclear Power Ghana Prof. B.J.B Nyarko

The media workshop by Nuclear Power Ghana (NPG) forms part of partnership with Ghana Journalists Association based on MOU signed between GJA and NPG in September 2020 to strengthen, equip media practitioners on Ghana’s Nuclear Power Project activities such as vendor and strategic partner selection processes. It is to share knowledge and information, equip media professionals with requisite skills to influence accurate reportage on the nuclear power agenda, bringing enormous benefits to society, to improve quality of lives arising from job creation and making economic backbone of Ghana formidable.

Meanwhile, Vice President of Ghana Journalists Association Linda Asante-Agyei has urged the media to “set-up energy desks” in various media houses. According to her there is the need to rely on the workshop to “form network of energy reporters”.

Source: Jerry John Akornor

Exclusive pictures from the workshop :