ACCRA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- A team of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is in Ghana to replace the spent fuel rod in her nuclear reactor from Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) to low Enriched Uranium (LEU), local media reported here Wednesday.
Kwame Aboh, Project Director of the Ghana Nuclear Convention Centre of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), told state-run Ghanaian Times the country's reactor had been used over the years for medical research and other scientific analyses.
He noted that fuel in the reactor since its installation some 21 years ago had reached its maximum level and must be removed and replaced with new LEU.
Aboh said since Ghana took part in the computerization of its reactor processes, it had closely been monitored by the IAEA and the United States Department for energy, which had helped in using the reactor for learning processes.
He said the reactor had assisted scientists and other experts to produce thesis on Ghana's industrial and educational activities to determine the origin of new products and other medical complications.
The process comes at no cost to government and will exhibit the transparency in the country's nuclear program, he explained.
Aboh said scientists at GAEC were helping the IAEA team to undertake the conversion process, and would help formulate policies for the promotion of the country's nuclear reactor.
The team has observers from Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria and Iran, who will be expected to write independent reports on the success or otherwise of the conversion process, he said.
