Ghana has been touted as one of the few African countries with the potential of becoming a hub for nuclear energy on the continent.

This follows a review of the country’s infrastructure development for a nuclear power programme by a team of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last year, under the Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review system.

The team concluded that Ghana had made considerable progress in the development of its nuclear power infrastructure.
In an exclusive interview with the CEO of Russian nuclear energy firm Rosatom (Central and Southern division) Dmitry Shornikov, he was optimistic of Ghana’s potential in nuclear energy on the continent.

We believe that nuclear energy could certainly become a reality in Ghana in the not too distant future. Although there are no nuclear power plants ( NPPs) in Ghana at this point, the country has a wealth of competences in the nuclear field……. The country has successfully been operating the GHARR-1 research reactor, which is located at the GAEC National Nuclear Research Institute since it started operations in December 1994.

Dmitry Shornikov


Mr Shornikov was impressed with the government of Ghana’s commitment to the course.
The government of Ghana realizes the importance of developing a peaceful nuclear energy programme not only to bridge the current energy shortfall but also to stimulate industrialization and ultimately the economy.
Ghana-Russia Nuclear corporations

Since the 1960s, Russia has been a key ally to Ghana’s nuclear power agenda. It was the vending country that advised the Kwame Nkrumah administration on the country’s nuclear power programme, which was thwarted in 1966, when his government was overthrown.

Russian state owned energy firm, Rosatom has continued the trend in recent years, in its numerous corporations with Ghana.