Media practitioners have been given a closer look at Ghana’s nuclear energy programme, with experts using a simulator demonstration and facility visits to explain reactor safety, radioactive waste management and the wider applications of nuclear science in health, industry and research.
The engagement, organised by Nuclear Power Ghana on August 18, 2026, took journalists to the NuScale E2 simulator at the Atomic-Kwabenya enclave and other key facilities at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) in Accra.
The exercise was aimed at deepening media understanding of nuclear operations and supporting more accurate reporting on Ghana’s preparations to introduce nuclear power into its energy mix.
George Kofi Appiah, manager of the Localization and Stakeholder Support Centre at the Nuclear Power Institute, used the simulator session to explain the basic safety mechanisms of a nuclear reactor.
He explained that control rods absorb neutrons to regulate the nuclear chain reaction, while fuel assemblies, temperature controls and real-time power monitoring help maintain system stability.
The demonstration was intended to demystify nuclear technology and show that reactor operations are governed by strict engineering and safety procedures, Appiah said.
He also said the growing focus on small modular reactors could be significant for Ghana’s energy mix because of their potentially lower costs and simpler maintenance requirements, while stressing the need for a strong maintenance culture to ensure their sustainability.
At the Radioactive Waste Management Centre, its manager, Dr. Gustav Kudjoe Gbeddy, explained how radioactive materials are handled from generation through to disposal.
He said waste producers may return radioactive materials to suppliers or countries of origin where possible. When that is not feasible, the materials are transferred through the Nuclear Regulatory Authority to GAEC for safe management.
Much of the waste received at the centre comes from hospitals, particularly from cancer treatment and nuclear medicine, Gbeddy said.
He added that radioactive materials are also used in several industries, including beverage quality control, road construction, mining and non-destructive testing in the oil and gas sector.
The key challenge was to ensure radioactive waste does not become a burden for future generations, he said.
Some radioactive materials can remain hazardous for thousands of years, making containment, shielding and long-term disposal planning essential.
The waste management process includes segregation, measurement, encapsulation and storage in specially designed concrete containers, he said.
The journalists also visited Reactor Hall 1, where research scientist Dr. Kwame Gyamfi explained how nuclear techniques are used to identify and measure elements in food, water, soil, rocks and other samples.
He said the techniques support activities in mining, agriculture, healthcare, metallurgy and food research, as well as product regulation and quality assurance.
Gyamfi explained that samples can be irradiated in a reactor and subsequently analysed using a high-purity germanium detector to identify elements through their gamma-ray signatures.
The method allows scientists to determine the concentrations of multiple elements from a single sample, making it useful for research, regulation and quality assurance, he said.
The tour highlighted Ghana’s efforts to build public understanding and confidence in nuclear technology as the country moves towards introducing nuclear power into its energy mix.
The Small Modular Reactor Simulator was developed through a collaboration between Ghana and the United States and is the first of its kind in Africa, according to officials.
The centre is being used to train nuclear scientists and support research in areas including renewable energy, food processing, minerals and technology, with applications in Ghana, Africa and beyond.
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