A pre-feasibility study on electricity generation from Ghana's Nuclear Power Programme (NPP) is estimated to cost 5 to 8 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh).

The Director of Nuclear Power Institute (NPI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Dr Seth Kofi Debrah, announced this at the 4th edition of the Ghana Industrial Summit and Exhibition in Accra, last Thursday, where he delivered a presentation on behalf of the Nuclear Power Ghana (NPG).

He explained that nuclear power is an economic electricity generation source because of its low levelised cost, low operating cost, and most significantly, relatively stable fuel regime.

Dr Debrah explained further that nuclear power holds the key to reducing the overall electricity tariff in the country and ensuring a reliable power supply, which would give Ghanaian businesses the impetus to be very competitive.

"Other countries spend less than 20 per cent on electricity to produce goods and services whereas Ghanaian industries spend close to 40 per cent of production cost on electricity. This makes Ghanaian goods and services relatively expensive," he lamented.

He indicated that other countries have used nuclear technology to push their industrialisation agenda and have developed.

Dr Debrah insisted that the time has come to focus on and chart the path of nuclear power as it has a lot of potentials and a competitive edge.

"We have some energy generation potentials in the areas of solar, wind, and a number of hydro potential sites, with a single maximum site capacity of about 100MW.

"There are others we have to look at, and that is, nuclear. Other countries have used this nuclear technology to develop, push their industrialization agenda while providing well-paid and secured jobs," he said.