US Offers Technology and Expertise
The United States has pledged to deepen its partnership with African countries seeking to deploy advanced nuclear technologies as nations across the continent look for reliable, affordable and low-carbon sources of electricity.
Dr. Michael Goff, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the US Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, said the United States was ready to share its nuclear technologies, expertise and institutional capacity with African countries pursuing nuclear power.
“The United States really wants to be your partner in that future,” he said at the opening of the third US-Africa Nuclear Energy Summit (USANES) in Accra on Wednesday.
New Technologies Could Speed Up Nuclear Development
Dr. Goff said rapid advances in reactor technology, streamlined licensing processes and stronger nuclear fuel supply chains were creating new opportunities for countries to adopt nuclear energy.
He said these developments could enable countries to pursue nuclear power without the lengthy timelines traditionally associated with nuclear projects.
The US official also disclosed that the Department of Energy was exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate reactor design, licensing, manufacturing and construction.
According to him, AI could also help improve the operation and performance of nuclear facilities, potentially making nuclear programmes more efficient and responsive to growing energy needs.
Building Africa’s Nuclear Workforce
Dr. Goff said the United States was also investing in human capacity development as part of its partnership with African countries.
He noted that the US Department of Energy had established partnerships with Ghana’s Nuclear Power Ghana, national laboratories and academic institutions through a regional energy training centre in Accra.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening the nuclear workforce across the region, with training and collaboration covering reactor technologies, nuclear operations, cybersecurity, quality assurance and spent fuel management.
He said building a skilled workforce was essential to ensuring that nuclear energy programmes were developed and operated safely, securely and sustainably.
Ghana Signals Readiness for Nuclear Power
For Ghana, the summit provided an opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to nuclear energy as part of its long-term strategy to meet rising electricity demand.
Mr. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and Acting Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, who represented President John Dramani Mahama, said Ghana had moved beyond aspiration and was ready to pursue nuclear power.
“We are ready. Ghana has formally entered Phase Two of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s milestone approach for developing nuclear power infrastructure,” he said.
The development places Ghana among African countries taking concrete steps towards establishing the institutional, regulatory and technical foundations required for a nuclear power programme.
Nuclear Power to Support Ghana’s Growing Energy Demand
Dr. John Jinapor, Minister for Energy and Green Transition, said nuclear power would play a “cardinal” role in Ghana’s future energy mix as electricity demand continued to rise and the country pursued industrialisation. He noted that Ghana’s peak electricity demand had increased dramatically, from about 300 megawatts when the Akosombo Dam was commissioned to approximately 4,500 megawatts currently.
The increase, he said, made it imperative for Ghana to diversify its electricity generation sources and reduce overdependence on any single technology. Ghana is therefore pursuing a combination of natural gas, renewable energy and nuclear power to provide reliable, low-carbon and affordable electricity.
“Nuclear energy forms a critical pillar of this strategy,” Dr. Jinapor said.
Ghana-US Nuclear Cooperation Advances
The Energy and Green Transition Minister also disclosed that Ghana and the United States had made significant progress towards concluding a 123 Agreement on peaceful nuclear cooperation. The agreement, which has been initialled, is awaiting the necessary approvals.
A 123 Agreement provides the legal framework for peaceful nuclear cooperation between the United States and another country, including cooperation involving nuclear technology, equipment and materials.
Summit Focuses on Africa’s Nuclear Future
The three-day US-Africa Nuclear Energy Summit is being held in Accra under the theme, “Building and Sustaining Africa’s Nuclear Workforce.”
The summit brings together governments, industry players, academics, regulators and development partners to discuss the key requirements for expanding safe and sustainable nuclear energy programmes across Africa.
Discussions are focused on workforce development, institutional capacity, financing and international partnerships.
With electricity demand rising across the continent and countries seeking cleaner alternatives to conventional fossil-fuel generation, participants are examining how advanced nuclear technologies could contribute to Africa’s long-term energy security.
The US commitment to partnership, coupled with Ghana’s renewed determination to pursue nuclear power, signals growing momentum for nuclear energy development in Africa.
