US vs Russia vs France vs China: The race for Ghana's first nuclear plant

The United States and Russia compete with China, France and South Korea to construct Ghana’s inaugural nuclear power plant. The West African nation has joined several others on the continent in considering nuclear energy as a low-carbon alternative to fulfill its electricity needs.

Ghana’s decision to install nuclear power is part of its strategy to diversify its energy sources, which currently include hydro, thermal and renewable energy. The winner of the ongoing bidding process will be announced at the end of 2024 by outgoing president Nana Akufo-Addo, Stephen Yamoah, executive director of Nuclear Power Ghana told Semafor Africa.

A target to build the plant by 2030 would be missed because the country still haven’t settled on a vendor, Yamoah said told Semafor Africa, adding that construction, which is expected to last five years is due to begin in 2026.

South Africa currently hosts the sole nuclear power plant on the African continent, yet countries like Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya have recently unveiled intentions to venture into nuclear energy development. In 2015, Ghana outlined its nuclear ambitions, aiming to inaugurate its first commercial nuclear power facility by 2030.

According to Ghana’s energy ministry, electricity demand has surged by 7%–10% annually since 2010 while as of 2020, approximately 85% of the population had access to electricity.

Ghana now faces the decision of selecting among various options, including large-scale nuclear power plants and small modular reactors, as it moves forward with its nuclear energy plans.

In Ghana, the challenge of ensuring consistent electricity supply persists, despite significant improvements in generation and access over the past decade. However, inefficiencies in distribution and high demand continue to result in frequent and prolonged power outages, which have been ongoing since last year.

As African nations grapple with power shortages, growing calls for environmentally friendly energy solutions and the vulnerability of hydropower to drought, some are exploring alternative sources of energy including nuclear power.

Although South Africa currently hosts the continent’s sole commercial nuclear power plant, a significant number of African countries are contemplating the adoption of nuclear energy. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), nearly one-third of the nearly 30 nations worldwide considering nuclear power are located in Africa.

Countries such as Ghana, Kenya, Egypt, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, and Sudan have initiated discussions with the IAEA to evaluate their readiness for nuclear energy programs. Additionally, Algeria, Tunisia, Uganda, and Zambia are also contemplating the possibility of nuclear energy adoption, as reported by the agency.

Notably, several sub-Saharan African nations have entered into agreements to explore the deployment of nuclear power, with support from Russia. These agreements, confirmed through public announcements and documented by the World Nuclear Association (WNA), underscore the continent’s growing interest in diversifying its energy sources.