Ghana Energy Progress on First Nuclear Power Plant

Ghana is pursuing nuclear power to enhance its low carbon energy production, meet growing energy demand, and strengthen energy security and diversification.  This objective offers U.S. companies opportunities related to the development of projects in this sector. 

Ghana’s desire to harness the benefit of civil nuclear for energy generation recently received a boost with the successful conclusion of a site review by a team of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The Site and External Events Design Review Service Mission was carried out at the request of the Government of Ghana and hosted by Nuclear Power Ghana under the purview of the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition. The February 2025 mission reviewed Ghana’s adherence to IAEA guidance on site selection.  It confirmed that the management system and Site Approval Report were thoroughly prepared and followed IAEA safety standards.  Earlier, Ghana completed the site selection process and identified the candidate site and an alternate site for its first nuclear power plant. The team of experts provided recommendations to improve the quality and optimize the site selection process, aiming to select the most suitable site.

In 2024, Ghana selected a joint bid by two US companies to partner Ghana for the development of the nuclear power plant by deploying Small Modular Reactor technology.  The companies are currently working to develop the project.

Opportunities

This creates opportunities for U.S. companies supplying good and services into the sector.  It also presents opportunities for companies operating in Ghana seeking stable and competitively priced energy that may want to be off takers for the power produced from the project. These may include, for example, data centers or companies involved in water desalination or the sodium hydroxide/hydrochloric acid, bauxite or other metal/minerals, ammonium, or silicon industries. 

To find out more, please contact PaaEkow Quansah at paaekow.quansah@trade.gov or office.accra@trade.gov. Please see Commercial Service Ghana’s other market intelligence reporting here.