Ghana is weighing two nuclear reactor options—traditional large nuclear reactors and small modular reactors (SMRs)—as it seeks to add about 1,000 megawatts of electricity to the national grid by the early 2030s.
The move comes as electricity demand continues to outpace supply, prompting policymakers to revisit a long-delayed decision on whether—and with what technology—to build the country’s first nuclear power plant.
At a recent virtual media engagement, officials said the government has yet to decide which option it will pursue.
Dr Stephen Yamaha, Executive Director of Nuclear Power Ghana, told reporters that both technologies offer distinct advantages and must be carefully assessed before a final decision is made.
“Large reactors give you economies of scale and a single, powerful source of baseload energy. But for a grid of our size, SMRs offer a more flexible entry point,” he said.
“We are studying both paths carefully because the wrong decision could lock us into decades of inefficiency or financial strain.”
Ghana first explored nuclear energy under President Kwame Nkrumah in the 1960s, but those efforts stalled due to political instability. Interest resurfaced following the country’s 2006 power crisis.
For decades, Ghana has relied heavily on hydropower, supplemented by gas and oil. However, erratic rainfall has lowered dam water levels, while rising global fuel prices have increased the cost of thermal power generation. Rapid urbanisation and industrial growth have added further pressure to the energy sector.
In February 2025, a team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) completed its first Site and External Events Design Review mission in Ghana and endorsed the country’s site-selection process, moving discussions from policy ambitions to technical planning.
Alberta Blay of Nuclear Power Ghana’s safety department said safety remains central to every stage of the nuclear programme.
“Safety is not an add-on; it is engineered into every stage, from site selection to decommissioning,” Blay said.
“We have been working with the IAEA and the internal institutions responsible for safety in the country to strengthen our regulatory framework.”
The available options on the table and their specifics.
Small modular reactors can generate up to 300 megawatts per unit and can be deployed incrementally. In August 2024, Ghana signed an agreement with U.S.-based NuScale Power and Regnum Technology Group to explore the VOYGR-12 SMR technology.
However, only a few SMRs are currently operating commercially worldwide, and NuScale’s flagship U.S. project was cancelled due to rising costs, raising concerns about cost predictability.
Building a conventional large reactor with a capacity of between 700 and 1,600 megawatts could cost between $7 billion and $10 billion and take more than a decade to complete.
Dr Robert Sogbadji, Deputy Director of Nuclear and Emerging Green Technologies at the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, Ghana said nuclear power could play a critical role as Ghana pushes toward a 24-hour economy.
Gas prices spike. Rivers run low. Though nuclear power has its requirements, it is not dependent on weather conditions or OPEC,” he said.
“We need a dependable, low-carbon backbone for a reliable electricity supply to businesses and industry. That is what nuclear power can provide.”
Elsewhere on the African continent, Kenya, Uganda and Morocco are also exploring nuclear energy options. South Africa remains the only African country currently operating a commercial nuclear power plant.