Ghana’s energy officials and their counterparts from Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation (ROSATOM) have held the first meeting to prepare for the implementation of Ghana’s nuclear power program.

The Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) meeting is part of implementation of the 2015 Intergovernmental Agreement on the peaceful use of atomic energy.

The meeting agenda included all key issues related to the nuclear program, including infrastructure, staff training, financing, technical issues related to construction of facilities for the joint projects and regulation in the nuclear power industry.

The parties also discussed practical aspects of cooperation in the form of task groups between JCC meetings.

According to Viktor Polikarpov, ROSATOM Regional Vice-President of Sub-Saharan Africa, “although there are no nuclear power plants, Ghana has competences in nuclear technology, and the country understands that the development of peaceful nuclear power is necessary”.

Ghana is developing the National Nuclear Power Program and has conducted self-assessment of its nuclear infrastructure in accordance with the IAEA standards.

The country is also preparing to accept the first INIR mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

“In the long term, Ghana may be expected to become one of the countries that make use of nuclear power. This will help overcome energy shortage, as well as provide a necessary impetus for economic development in the country,” said Mr. Polikarpov.

Director General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Professor Benjamin Nyarko, has argued that nuclear energy offers the opportunity to grow greener economies and for Ghana to conform to the new Paris Agreement on climate change.

In spite of the benefits, he says the country is not in a rush to compromise on safety standards.

The next meeting of the countries’ representatives is to be held during the IAEA General Conference in September, while the second JCC meeting will take place in 2017.

By Kofi Adu Domfeh |3news.com | Ghana