Content:
From April 25 – 28 2023, the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) together with staff of the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC), hosted the 2023 Spring International Radiation Protection Computer Code Analysis and Maintenance Programme (RAMP) Users’ Group (RUG) meeting. The RUG meeting was both in person and virtual and involved over seventy (70) representatives from nine (9) countries.
On the first day, Dr. Nii Kwashie Allotey, the Director-General of NRA opened and welcomed participants to the meeting. Samuel Wotorchi-Gordon, the NRA RAMP point of contact, presented on the genesis of the Ghana Nuclear Power Programme and its current stage. The RAMP Team made up of Stephanie Bush-Goddard and Rigel Flora ended the session with information about the RAMP Programme.
Subsequent days included code discussions and training on the VARSKIN+ code, the Integrated Modules for Bioassay Analysis (IMBA) code, the Phantom with Moving Arms and Legs (PiMAL) graphical user interface for the Monte Carlo N-Particle® (MCNP) code and the Radiological Assessment System for Consequence Analysis (RASCAL) code.
The results achieved at this meeting include the exchange of information and knowledge in radiation protection and dose assessment codes. This meeting was a follow-on of numerous meetings that the US NRC has conducted to increase the Ghanaian Nuclear Power Programme's competencies and technical abilities.
Pending actions, next steps and commitments include continuing the RAMP Agreement, providing Ghanaian members access to the Software Integration for Environmental Radiological Release Assessments (SIERRA) code beta testing activities, a potential NUREG/IA on a radioactive assessment for a Ghanaian Gold Mine and having an NRA staff in the RAMP mentoring programme.
Add Comment
