China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) convened a summary meeting on a nuclear project taking place in Ghana — low enriched uranium (LEU) of miniature neutron source reactor (MNSR), in Beijing from July 26 to 27.

Through the LEU-MNSR project, CNNC has received recognition from experts from China, the United States and Ghana, and played a role in the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons alongside the promotion of MNSR in China and abroad.

The Ghana project was recognized as crucial practice for CNNC to implement the “Five Major Initiatives” and “Sino-US Joint Statement” proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Fourth Nuclear Security Summit held in Washington in April 2016. 

The project aims to replace the highly-enriched uranium core fuel with a low-enriched substance without changing the geometry of the reactor core. Coordinated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the project has been jointly undertaken by China, Ghana and the United States.

In June 2017, CNNC completed the export of LEU-MNSR fuel to Ghana and recently the reactor entered into the critical phase, earning a congratulatory letter and praise from the IAEA. The research reactor will undergo testing in fully-charged conditions in early August.

“The Ghana LEU-MNSR project is working smoothly. As a nuclear industry giant, China has fulfilled its commitment to safeguarding world peace,” said one expert at the conference. 

“The Chinese team’s professionalism and dedication has guaranteed the operation of the project, and we have witnessed China’s strength in building its world brand in the nuclear sector,” claimed another conference attendee. 

Attendees were from China Atomic Energy Agency, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nuclear Safety Administration of China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection, CNNC, the IAEA, the US Department of Energy, the US Embassy in China, the US Argonne National Laboratory, the Republic of Ghana Embassy in China, and Ghana Atomic Energy Commission.