Ghana will decide by December which company will build its first nuclear power plant, choosing from contenders including French, US, Chinese, Russian and South Korean energy firms. Faced with power shortages, growing calls for environmentally friendly energy solutions and the vulnerability of hydropower to drought, Ghana has been one of the few African countries exploring alternative sources of energy including nuclear power. France’s EDF, US-based NuScale Power and Regnum Technology Group, and China National Nuclear Corporation, South Korea’s Kepco and its subsidiary Korea Hydro Nuclear Power Corporation as well as Russia’s Rosatom have been locked in a race to build the first nuclear power plant in Ghana. The decision on the winning contractor is expected by December, says Robert Sogbadji, the West African country’s deputy director in charge of nuclear and alternative energy. South Africa currently hosts the only nuclear power plant on the continent, yet besides Ghana, also countries like Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda have recently unveiled intentions to venture into nuclear energy development.

Source: The North Africa Journal May 21, 2024 18:26 UTC