US Nuclear Security Administration pulls last known nuclear material from Ghana

With support from China, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Ghana itself, the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has pulled the last kilogram of highly-enriched uranium (HEU) from Ghana.

“Ghana demonstrated an exemplary commitment to helping reduce the risk of nuclear terrorism by eliminating the need to use highly enriched uranium,” said Lt. Gen. Frank G. Klotz (Ret.), Department of Energy Under Secretary for Nuclear Security and NNSA Administrator. “We appreciate the strong support from the international community for this important nonproliferation project.”

The material–which has Chinese origins–came from the GHARR-1 Miniature Neutron Source Reactor in Accre, Ghana. With its removal, Ghana becomes the 32nd country to be officially HEU-free. The operation was part of ongoing efforts on the part of the NNSA and its parent agency, the Department of Energy, to minimize HEU. China has in turn received the shipment and taken possession.

The GHARR-1 facility has in turn been changed from an HEU facility to a low enriched uranium fuel-based operation. Meanwhile, China and the U.S. intend to continue cooperation on conversion of similar MSNRs, with the next such operation planned for 2018, in Nigeria.