Abstract
This paper discusses the issue of nuclear energy in Ghana, although the country is not operating a nuclear plant, the study focuses on the energy crisis that persistently hit the country and government’s plans to opt for nuclear energy as part of Ghana’s energy’s mix to cater for the shortfalls in Ghana’s electricity generation. Ghana after independence decided to add nuclear energy into its energy mix to promote industrialization and make Ghana an industrial hub and investment destination as well as make it a net exporter of power in Africa. In spite of this plan for a nuclear plant resurfacing within contemporary discourse, there has been a strong opposition against the country going nuclear, citing some safety and security issues which are sometimes fueled by lack of an in depth knowledge of what nuclear energy really entails. Qualitative research approach was employed to investigate Ghana’s drive for attaining its initial plans for a nuclear plant. Data has been retrieved from both primary and secondary sources. The analysis of the data collected revealed that Ghana’s inability to operate a nuclear plant is as a result of fear of a nuclear disaster like it happened at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, USA, Chernobyl in Ukraine and Fukishima Daichi in Japan, as well as the safety of the nuclear plants and the radioactive wastes emitted into the environment. The study revealed that this fear of people regarding nuclear energy is over-emphasized and again the major nuclear disasters that have rocked the world were caused by human error; in most cases security warnings were ignored. The study established that the delay in executing the plans are due to monetary challenges since building a nuclear plant involves a lot of money. This notwithstanding, Ghana has enough skilled nuclear scientists to manage the country’s nuclear plants should any be built.
Highlights
It is human nature to test, to observe and to dream
We have focused on building a narrative from in-depth oral interviews from experts in the field (Ghana Atomic Energy Commission) and written data
The functions of the Centre were as follows: to advise the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission on policy matters with regard to development and promotion of mathematical sciences as related to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, to establish strong links with Departments of Mathematics, Physics, Statistics and Computer Sciences in Ghanaian Universities and other research institutions, to co-ordinate mathematical research and provision of training for undergraduate and postgraduate students, to host mathematicians ( Ghanaians) at the Centre for Seminars, workshops, conferences and sabbatical and long-term residence, to foster interaction with policy makers on matters relating to mathematics and its promotion and applications and to provide continuing education in mathematics at the pre-tertiary levels (GAEC, 2016)
Summary
It is human nature to test, to observe and to dream. The history of nuclear energy is the story of a centuriesold dream becoming a reality. As scientists kept on advancing their research into radioactive elements, the man credited as the father of nuclear physics Ernest Rutherford is noted for splitting the atom with naturally occurring alpha particles from radioactive material and observed a proton emitted with energy higher than the alpha particle. Over four hundred nuclear reactors provide base-load electric power in thirty countries Fifty years old, it is a relatively mature technology with the assurance of great improvement in the generation. From the project commissioning in 2003 to the end of 2012, this project will avoid, in total, over eighty-five million tonnes of carbon dioxide” (Bratt, 2005) It is advisable for economies of countries to adopt nuclear energy as an option in the production and distribution of electricity because it saves fuel which will otherwise be used by coal and natural gas plants. There is the question of whether manufacturers can use radioactive materials to obtain the proper thickness of tin and aluminum (Napavalley, 2011)
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